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dumbbitchenergy17 · 6 months

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Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 8

Chapter Seven: Because of You

Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Word Count: 5.4K

Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, injuries, harsh language, joel actually cares :0, just fucking sad shit tw: trauma from abusive mother, description of child abuse

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I cannot cry because I know that's weakness in your eyes. I'm forced to fake a smile, a laugh every day of my life. My heart can't possibly break when it wasn't even whole to start with.

Joel and Tommy returned soon after you passed on the question. They expected some resistance or some smart comment but you accepted the meal with a noise of thanks and eyed the medicine Joel provided but took it regardless.

Ellie was quickly berated by both Miller brothers to understand what the sudden calm behavior came from and clearly, the young girl had something to do with it. “I just talked to her?” That was her response and it was the truth. A single conversation with the young girl that didn’t involve scolding or harassment about being seen as ‘normal’ in Jackson was what occurred. Ellie worked at your pace not pushing you to reveal everything and treated you like a human being, not some wild animal that the people of Jackson think you are.

Whatever you took knocked you out leaving you sleeping throughout the rest of the day only to awaken nearing sunset with a healthy meal Ellie had gotten from the mess hall by Joel’s orders but she did sneak some desserts in for you to eat. The environment and relationship that was changing from your near-death experience started to become more noticeable. You still kept to yourself, your bedroom and the stables your sanctuary from all that was outside, you hardly talked to Joel this instinct that keeps you at a distance from the man, Tommy it was more of him talking to you but you would add your two cents in and were so rigid when he would appear at the stables at random times to check in on you or to bring you something to eat.

The only person you would really ‘close’ to was Ellie. You started eating some meals with Ellie just the two of you and she would fill the silence by talking about whatever was on her mind with you speaking at times, she would hang around the stables and help with the horses when she wasn’t at school or hanging with Dina and Jesse. She took you to some places she would go with her friends and there was one interaction where you met Dina and Jesse that didn’t involve you beating someone up or trying to kill them when you first met them. It was awkward with you standing slightly behind Ellie just staring at the two teens as they tried making conversation with you either responding with grunts and nods or not even saying anything. But when Ellie would speak to you a few short sentences would come out but directed to her.

Despite being close to the younger girl and interacting with her friends you kept that boundary with the Millers and yourself. No matter how many times Tommy would invite you over for a ‘family’ dinner you refused.

“I’m not in your family.” And that’s how it would end, no amount of begging or offering of your favorite meals would convince you. Why would you have dinner with people who claimed it was for a family when you had no relation to them?

The cold was only getting more colder entering the final month of the year before spring would soon come. Making sure all the horses had extra hay for this chill in the air especially the two colts that are Dakota’s. Once they were situated you went out to do some last-minute things only to be interrupted by the appearance of Ellie petting one of the horses Shimmer.

“What are you doing here?” Your tone may have sounded cold and threatening to others but the young girl knew otherwise.

“Just wanted to see if you’re done here. I need help moving something from Tommy’s to the house.” She says rocking on her feet it looks like she just got out of school her pack still strapped to her back.

“Why can’t you get Dina or Jesse?” You question grabbing feed from some of the older horses petting Red in passing, “Because the two of them have this dinner date thing—blegh.” She says rolling her eyes and making a gagging noise.

“I thought they broke up?” You were very confused by the two’s on-and-off relationship, “Yeah they are doing this date to see if they want to get back together. Come on let’s go I need your help and everyone else is busy.”

Adding the remaining food in the large trough outside all of the older horses' section you move back inside grabbing your coat and throwing it on. “Fine.” Ellie pumps a fist up in the air with glee as you take your time signing out in the log and writing some notes on items needed. Ellie rocks on the heels of her feet,

“Come on let’s goooo.” She groans and you follow the girl out of the stables trying to take the quickest route to Rancher Street. Normally you would take backstreets walking through the few wooded areas only to walk through the main streets when completely abandoned. The awkwardness from the lingering stares from people as you follow the younger girl like a shadow keeping close by but distant enough that people seemed to move away when the two of you came near. It didn’t bother you, you weren’t looking for companionship or kindness from these people you didn’t know them and they didn’t need to know you.

The family street appears as the two of you pass by the house you reside in towards the other house containing the younger Miller brother and his wife and child. Ellie bounds up the porch steps letting herself in holding the door open for you to follow. You hear the door close behind you and the sound of voices further into the house but you can’t make it out.

“Tommy we’re here!” Ellie calls out and Tommy responds with an ‘Over here!’ and the two of you enter more into the house. You should have noticed something was off with Ellie’s almost nervous but excited energy. When the two of you turned the corner and saw the dining room you stopped in your tracks. The table was set for dinner food was already prepared Tommy held his son on his hip bouncing the slightly fussy baby, Joel sat on one side of the table already nursing a glass of whiskey, while Maria entered with what you assume was the final piece of the dinner.

“Great you guys are here come sit food is still hot.” Tommy gestures as he places his son into the chair designed for the baby before taking his seat at the head of the table. Maria moves to sit beside her child the baby separating the couple. Ellie already throws off her pack and coat taking a seat beside Tommy leaving an empty seat between Ellie and Joel. You still haven’t moved staring at the display.

“Come on kid, food’s gonna get cold,” Tommy calls out to you and your eyes slowly move from the table to the man. He carries an almost hopeful smile on his face as the others stare at you waiting for you to join in their family meal.

“What the fuck is this.” Void of emotion and sharp edge to your words. You were cornered the air was thin and a pit in your stomach made your insides churn.

“Hey, language,” Joel calls out in a warning tone, especially before the young child. Your gaze snaps away from Joel to Ellie who looks anxious about the growing tension, “You said we were just picking something up from here.” Your throat felt tight and a tingling sensation fills your fingers flexing them trying to gain feeling.

A sheepish look covers the young girl, “You wouldn’t have said yes if I asked. You never said yes before. So I thought this would be the best way to get you to come…” Her plan which everyone else seemed to be involved in had backfired horribly.

“I’m not hungry.” Your response is short already rejecting all of this: this idea, the meal, the people, everything. You didn’t want this. “You haven’t eaten since lunch and that was hours ago.” Tommy brings up having been the one to bring lunch for you just a simple sandwich not filling enough to miss dinner.

“I’m not eating that.” You shake your head sending a glare to the meal before you. Though the smell and appearance of it once made your mouth water and crave it you only felt ill looking at it.

“We can get you something I’m sure we can mix something up real quick. It would be good to all sit together and talk about how our day has been anything just a nice family dinner.” Tommy tries to convince you but it was that one word that made you want to hurl.

“I’m not part of your fucking family.” You hiss taking a step back, “I don’t want this or you or anyone.” You wanted to bolt you wanted to be back in that cabin maybe you should have pressured them more to put you out of your misery back then or maybe not fought as hard against those raiders.

“Why can’t you just accept our help or the fact we care about you?! Sure the world is fucked up but you don’t need to hate the small amount of good that is left,” Ellie stands taking a step towards and a frustrated look crosses her face. “If some shit happened to you just talk to us but don’t fucking act like your the only one suffering. You don’t want a chance to be a part of a family that cares for you again be my fucking guest.” It was like a punch in your gut and if there was any food in your system it would have left your stomach. Your gaze snaps to the three adults each of them with ranges of pity.

Fucking pity.

They saw you as someone weak.

Some broken little thing that needed fixing.

Your gaze pauses briefly with Maria’s, the understanding of how hard those words affected you. She knew the truth she knew why you were cold-hearted your life focused on yourself and everyone else was your enemy. The look of a mother who wished to comfort a child. Why hadn’t you ever received that look? What made you so different that she could never give you that look? It made you fucking sick.

A metallic taste floods your mouth from how hard you are biting your cheek. The weight on your chest felt unbearable just having them stare at you. You don’t even think you could respond unless it was to throw up. It was hot and uncomfortable in that room and it only seemed to rise in temperature. Your vision just seems to tunnel black creeping in from the side.

Fuck you can’t breathe.

You probably could have ripped the door from the hinges from how hard you swung the door open. A loud crash as the door slams against the wall but you don’t even care. Numb feet trip down the steps the coldness of the air heightens as you rush away. The people inside that house their voices fall on deaf ears. You couldn’t hear anything. Blindly letting your body guide you somewhere finding the familiar clearing that was introduced to you by Ellie. Where you sat awkwardly to the side just observing the trio of friends laugh and tell jokes. They tried to include you but you just shook your head listening in as you picked the dirt under your nails. Your chest screamed for air that it desperately needed. The blood spills freely from your mouth staining the snow a crisp crimson. You hold onto a tree with one hand hunched over gasping for air surprised you haven’t buckled over.

Why didn’t she care about you?

Why didn’t she love you? She could have at least pretended for your sake.

And why didn’t he stay? Did he care that little that he didn’t want to try?

Was she right? Just a bastard child to a bastard father.

“Kid?” Your eyes darted spotting the couple standing a few feet away from you. Maria holds her son in her arms the baby is sound asleep wrapped up. Tommy takes a step forward and you react taking a stumbling step back swiping your mouth ridding the blood that paints your lips and a bit of your chin. “You’re alright..” Tommy stops holding his hands out like he’s talking down some rabid animal.

“Tommy,” Maria calls out to her husband who glances back as the woman moves forward, “Go tell the other I got her…give us some time to talk. Girl on girl.” She says before looking over at you who watches the interaction with cautious eyes. Tommy hesitates just for a moment before taking his son and leaving the clearing until it’s just the two of you. Maria heads swiping some snow off the log that substitutes as a bench taking a sit before patting one end. You don’t move keeping your distance.

“You don’t have to might be nice just to sit and talk.” She says warmly, not an ounce of disgust or even remotely upset with your actions in her home. You shuffle forward but sit on the snowy floor a good foot or two separating you. “Ellie is sorry for what she said, though I’m sure she’d feel even worse if she knew how hard those words hit you huh.” She speaks not expecting you to respond. Finding more interest in the snow your gloved hand tracing shapes in the snow.

“Is it the fact that you don’t want to have dinner with us or you’ve never been given the opportunity to have a normal meal with people?” Maria saw the way your gaze snapped to her before darting back to the snow avoidant of the adult’s gaze.

You’re not even sure you’ve had a decent meal in your entire life. Even being here in Jackson you’ve eaten the bare minimum to survive. Why would you indulge yourself in the luxuries of a homecooked meal or even fresh food? You didn’t deserve it, a stranger in this place. No reason for them to feed you well enough until they can throw you make in that cell or perhaps turn you over to the raiders.

“It’s not fair.” You mumble and Maria looks down at you not rushing you to speak, “You live this great life, a perfect little family in this perfect town. Nothing is wrong with you.”

“Not everything is perfect. We’ve all lost something…some more than others. I hav—had a son, Kevin,” Maria falters slightly and you can hear the sudden sadness lace her voice as you look up at her, “He was only three on Outbreak Day. Tommy has lost people he’s cared for, same with Joel and Ellie. It takes time to come to peace and some just never get over it.” Maria says a sense of peace despite the fact of losing a child.

“It still hurts but the pain gets easier but it never leaves. Some days are better than others. I can only be grateful for the life I have now and knowing my little boy is in a better place.” Her voice gets all choked up and she swipes away a stray tear from he misty eyes.

“I’m sure he knows he is loved.” You say softly and she nods looking down as a few tears fall but she takes a moment to compose herself.

“I’m sure in another world both my sons would have known each other. I’m sure in another world your mother would have loved you the way you deserved to be loved.” She says and you’re not sure how to react.

You’re not sure you could ever imagine a world where she loved you. To hold you in her arms like you were fragile glass. To read to you stories about far-off lands of heroes fighting to save the day. To soothe your tears and heal your cuts and scrapes you gained for having too much fun not from getting beaten and burned by those around you. To care about your interests and the things you enjoy. To be funny and make you laugh so hard you cry. To hold your hand when you are scared and protect you from the nightmares and fears that couldn’t hurt you. To make you a homemade meal to sit at a table and talk about your day and just be together. Maybe you would have a day in that picture. He’d come home from whatever job existed before the Outbreak Day, complain about the long day but happy to come home to his daughter and wife.

“I don’t think she’d ever love me no matter what world we lived in.” You wonder what kind of person you’d be in a different life but you believe that some people truly can’t change. Maybe this apocalypse truly brought out the real side that people had hidden in a normal society. “I’d rather have her lie to me. To at least act like she wanted to read me stories, to hold me on the cold nights instead of sleeping by a barely working radiator, to have my father be in my life and not just a string of drug addicts and horrible men, to tend to my wounds from bullies instead of learning how to stitch my first cut at nine, to just sit with me and a goddamn table and talk to me! To treat me like her kid...her fucking daughter instead of some bastard child!” Your throat grew more tight and your vision more blurry. It was anger a hatred towards her. You were jealous of all of those people who had good parents. A father in their life. A mother who loved them. You got neither. You wanted that. You craved it.

“I just wanted a mom.” You gritted out a burning in your eyes until you felt something run down your cheeks. Raising your hand see wetness appear on your gloves before turning your attention to Maria who looks at you sadness covering her eyes. Harshly rubbing your eyes to rid the tears and scowl though not a very good one. “Doesn’t matter it’s stupid anyway.”

“It’s not.” Maria defends against your statement, “You deserved someone to care for you and she failed you. Not you. You deserved that life you wanted and she failed to give that to you. She failed at being a mother. You didn’t fail as a daughter.” She says and it’s quiet between the two of you. A mother who wished she could’ve given the world to her first child but was given the chance to try again and a daughter who gave all she could’ve to a woman who was meant to be a mother and given nothing in return. Maria stands up holding a hand out for you. It’s a moment before you accept her hand though it’s not the action of helping you stand but telling you something deeper.

A mother caring for a child that isn’t even hers.

The walk back to Rancher Street has a new energy and a different feeling. You can’t describe how things changed between yourself and Maria but it did. As the familiar view of the house you occupy with Joel and Ellie comes into view a guiding hand rests on your shoulder and you’re brought away to the house that is Maria and Tommy’s. “Why are we going over here?” You ask confused maybe Joel and Ellie were waiting in their house. But they would have been waiting in their home for you to return.

“Just trust me.” She says and while a part of you, the part that screamed at you to run and hide. To reject this adult’s trust, you didn’t know her, she could hurt you, you don’t know her intentions. But you still followed after her until you reached inside the house that remained empty no sound of Joel or Ellie. Coming around the corner is Tommy and their son held in his arms. “You’re back.”

“Can you go sit at the dining table for a moment?” Maria asks and you nod trailing over to the dinner table to food still set and waiting for someone to eat it. You could hear some muffled voices a whole room separating you from deciphering the words between the couple. The couple returns with the male holding Liam as he places the baby in the highchair. The child babbles at his father before Tommy pulls away heading off to the kitchen with Maria. The baby seems in their own world before he makes eye contact with you and you feel locked in its gaze. A staring contest between a teenager and an infant. Pinned under the child’s innocent gaze unable to react. You weren’t sure what to do. He seems to see something you don’t do before giggles fill the room as it laughs at you. Maria and Tommy return the couple smile softly at the sight.

Your gaze snaps to Maria and Tommy, “I don’t know why it’s laughing at me.” The worried expression only causes the child’s laughter and babbling to increase.

“Well, Liam seems to like you so I don’t think you need to worry about him giggling at you,” Maria says before serving generous portions of food onto a large plate and covering it to keep the food all warm. She gives the plate to Tommy who collects his son and the two head back out and you watch them leave. “Where are they going?” You question as Maria grabs a new plate and starts filling it with a spread of the food placing it at one seat and grabbing a new plate she looks up at you.

“What would you like?” She asks and you look at the food, then the plate, then at her a look of confusion. “What?”

“What would you like to eat? There is chicken, a mix of vegetables, and mashed potatoes with some gravy we also have some leftover cookies but those can be for dessert.” She explains pointing at the different options before you. It hit you hard in the chest what she was doing for you. “You don’t have to stay, I can serve you and you can stay here and I’ll eat somewhere else or you can sit somewhere else in the house if you feel more comfortable.” She reassures you willing to work at your level. To just sit at a table and talk.

“You can choose.” You say fidgeting with the gloves on your hands feeling hot from the layered clothes. She does a spread of the options giving you the option to try everything with portions you would never serve yourself. It was too much food that you didn’t deserve. You weren’t sure you’d ever seen this much food just for you in your life. Maria settles down going to get started on her meal when she looks at you sitting across from her staring at the meal unsure where to start or if you even could. Maria stands up grabbing her plate, “Come on.” She grabs your plate and drink follows after her as the two of you leave the dining room finding yourself in the family room. Maria places her food on the small table in front of the couch gesturing for you to follow.

“You can sit on the floor or the couch whatever you prefer.” She says before moving toward the television to set something up. You sit on the ground your plate of food resting on the table at your chest your legs crossed under the small table. “You can start eating if you’d like. Don’t wait up for me.” She says over her shoulder and the hunger you’ve been holding back has you digging into the meal. Rich flavors and the weight of the fresh warm meal a great feeling in your body. A pleasant sound fills the room as light shines from the tv. Maria sits on the couch her plate resting on her lap as she starts to eat as the film begins on the screen.

“This is one of my favorites.” She says and the film plays and you’re sucked into the story reading the title of the film with wide curious eyes.

“The Lion King? How can a lion be a king?” You say looking back at the older woman, “Just watch the movie.” She says and you return your attention to what’s on screen.

You ended up moving up onto the couch around the midpoint, the food filling you up, and when Maria said that you were allowed to have more servings you declined so full from that. You weren’t sure how you got so invested in the film, feeling a deep sadness and shock when Mufasa died. To be invested in the characters Timon and Pumba a crack of a smile listening to their jokes. By the time the credits came it wasn’t shocking from the full meal, the film, and just the exhaustion from the day's events you drifted asleep your cheek pressed against the arm of the couch your arms acting as a pillow.

Maria got to work quietly cleaning taking your plates to the kitchen and started to pack up the remaining food leaving leftovers for them but having some to give to Joel and Ellie. With the leftovers in hand, she glances at you still asleep on the couch the dim glow of the TV shines on your features before she quietly exits her home to fetch her husband and child.

Joel wasn’t sure what to say or do when you returned. Given Ellie’s outburst that quietly turned to guilt once you fled his brother’s home, they went out looking for you. Looking back at their home, then the stables all the while comforting the young girl who was filled with guilt for the harsh words she had spat. When Ellie suggested a location the young introduced the older one to they ran into Tommy with Liam who reassured them that Maria had you and they were talking things out and to return to their home.

Joel wasn’t expecting Tommy and his nephew to appear at his door with what looked like the meal they were meant to eat. Still, he questioned where you were but Tommy reassured him that Maria was providing her dinner and it would be better to make it a gradual approach involving you in these things. He could understand that, you kept to yourself eating meals alone in your room or at the stables when someone would bring you something, you came and went with little to no warning. Sometimes late a night he had to really strain his already bad hearing for the front door to quietly creak open and even quieter footsteps travel around the first floor before retreating to your room. So the four of them ate the meal Maria prepared in Joel’s dining room. Ellie hoped to apologize to you but for the time being, was able to distract herself with Tommy’s son. Now that it was truly dark and a meal would be over when another knock came at the door and it was Maria with leftovers he couldn’t help but feel slightly frustrated.

“She fell asleep after dinner. Tuckered out from the day.” Maria says while trading the leftovers to Ellie for her son. Joel nods his fingers holding the loops of his belt, “Well myself or Ellie will come over in the morning to collect her.” When he said that he saw the look Tommy and Maria gave each other clearly he was out of the loop with something.

“What is it?” A hint of concern in his tone. “Joel..” Tommy starts not sure the best words as Maria takes Tommy’s hand giving it a reassuring squeeze, “We’d think it might be better if the kid stays with us.”

Joel wasn’t sure how to take that news. Did you ask to stay with them given the events of today? Was it something he did before? “I’m sorry what?” The words didn’t seem to register.

“We just think it might be good for her to be in a more family-oriented environment,” Tommy says and Joel sends him a questioning look, “The hell does family-oriented mean?”

“Joel come on, she stays practically locked up in her room and if not she’s at the stables until she has no choice but to come back. Ellie talks and tries to spend time with her but seriously Joel do you know one thing about her? You both are busy anyways with Ellie in school and you with your patrols she’s left with nothing to do.” Tommy says and Joel feels like this is an attack on his skill of taking care of a child. His hand rests on the broken watch around his wrist. He raises Sarah all by himself with the help of Tommy but it is just him and his babygirl. Then there was Ellie he would say he is raising her well for an ambitious spitfire of a kid. Tommy’s words hurt him and the image he had of being a good parental figure but it shined a light. He saw Ellie as his daughter his kid to protect and care for but in the beginning, you were some brat shoved in his hands as his responsibility now but he couldn’t explain this need to watch over you. Though he did it while keeping a 15-foot pole separating you both.

“You said you couldn’t do it cause of Liam why the sudden change?” Joel wanted to find an excuse just the tiniest one so he could claim he was the better fit but he had no clue why he wished this. The old him would be rejoicing and letting them take you off his hands.

“That’s because we didn’t know her. All of us needed to learn to trust her and we do. She’ll be around at least one of us when with Liam and this might be the first step and getting her out of her shell,” Maria says “She’s been through a lot Joel and she’s only now wants to talk about it. She needs normalcy in her life. I don’t mean this in a wrong way but you and Ellie still live and act like you’re out there fighting to survive.” Now that riled up the older Miller. Sure he kept to himself spoke when only necessary to do his job then returned home to do it all over again but things were different now. Ellie and him had things that they never had out there and being here was their fresh start from everything that has happened to them.

“Tommy.” Joel looked at his brother hoping he would try to defuse the situation and maybe reconsider but he didn’t. “Did you even ask her? Do you really know her well enough to know what’s best for her?” He sounded spiteful a bite to his words.

“Stop it,” Tommy’s voice curt to his brother and his wife, “We just came here to tell you she’s going to be staying with us. Not fight over who knows her better. If she wishes to return to stay with you she’s more than welcome to.” It’s quiet between the three adults before Liam begins fusing and it’s too late for the baby to be out.

“Look you’re welcome to see her. We’re not keeping her away from you Joel but if you really think she’s better off with you. Put some goddamn effort in getting to know her instead of treating her like some stranger.” Tommy says before delivering his brother a pat on his shoulder that was meant to be comforting but only felt like a mockery. The family retreats back to their home as Joel closes the door a weight in his stomach as he stares at the woodgrain on the door.

“Joel?” Ellie’s voice makes him turn from where he stands to find Ellie standing in the living room. He was sure she heard their conversation but didn’t but in. “Is she not staying with us anymore?” Sadness laced her features and it only added more guilty weight to his gut. This wasn’t something he could give some hopeful response that things would be better but he truly didn’t know. You’re decision would be up to you and it may be his fault for not putting in an effort.

“I don’t know kiddo…I don’t know.”

Where the Wild Things Are Tags

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#the last of us #the last of us hbo #the last of us fanfiction #joel miller x teen!reader #joel miller x platonic!reader #joel miller x reader #ellie williams #ellie williams x platonic!reader #ellie williams x teen!reader #ellie williams x reader #tommy miller #tommy miller x platonic!reader #tommy miller x reader #where the wild things are #where the wild things are series

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 6 months

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💕💕💕

Lil Ellie sketch

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 6 months

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Teaser!

There was a story…if told could be thought of as myth or fantasy, adventures of far-off galaxies, a vast variety of creatures of different races and spoke many languages, good versus evil. Old warriors lost their planet but reclaimed their home reuniting their people a saying passed through every one of them. A creed to honor those that fought before them, beside them, and will fight for them in the coming of time.

“This is the Way.”

With armor that could handle the strongest of weapons and spirit that could never be weakened by their enemies. Formidable on the battlefield with one able to take down 20 men on their own. From foundling to apprentice to warrior trained and prepared to fight alongside their brothers and sisters in battle. To fight for their clan, their homeworld, their creed…

For Mandalore.

It’s said that the first Mand’alor harnessed a power that no other Mandalorian had, the essence of life that was in every living and non-living thing. The energy that binds and holds the universe and life itself together. The light with dark…the good with evil. Balance. It goes by many names of what this gift is but to many, it is known as the Force. While it resides in everyone some contain a significant amount that they could tap into.

Those who could wield it were known as Jedi, protectors of the peace and guardians of justice. But with good comes evil. Light and Dark. Jedi and Sith.

But the Jedi are gone, massacre many years ago the shift of Light and Dark to great for the few who survived to try to stop it. So those that did live stayed hidden, in desolate planets, or populated areas, and restrained their abilities, hiding the true nature of their being.

But with a rise in the Dark comes strength in Light, a savior, the chosen one…a hero.

Some may say they’ve witnessed this hero, standing tall while the others cowered a weapon of great power in them but also one they wield. Of hot plasma that could cut through any object, and deflect any bolt of blaster, the weapon of both the Jedi and the Sith.

In the past, they remember them, the brilliant blues, verdant greens, and royal purples, of their heroes.

When their heroes had fallen it was a farm boy from a desert planet wielding a blue saber brighter than the sky above and a green saber as rich as the grass on the most lush planets.

But that hero’s journey was over his duty complete, and soon a new hero would step up to take his place and start their journey.

Some say she was a farm girl as well…on the same desert planet as the past hero. A very strange almost enchanting girl with the courage of such a young child. With the blood of warriors and protectors in her. She had the same weapon but not a familiar hue. It shined like the dual suns that set on her home planet. A radiant orange that color rivals the richest of dyed skills and wools, and its hilt holds the powerful blade was the strongest of metals. The same metal that was from the warriors. It was said she traveled far with a warrior in silver armor that gleamed in the light and also a protector, though many assumed the small babe could be no threat its physical appearance deceiving to the years of training and power within its small body.

They say they wandered very far…over land and sea. Planets and its people remembered them how could they not. The three were noticeable and wherever they went trouble or danger followed. And those that got too close were involved and many didn’t survive this hero’s journey. A little shy and sad of eye…but very wise was she.

And then one day…it was a magic day she passed my way and while we spoke of many things. Of fools and kings. Fools that wished to learn more of this ever-growing galaxy naive to its dangers and kings that believed wealth and power let them truly be safe and content.

With weariness in her bones, a face haunted by grief and sorrow, and her companions were now gone. The man who trained her cared for her, protected her and the child that comforted her, and brought light and peace to the darkest of times. This is what she said to me,

“The greatest thing you'll ever learn…is just to love and be loved in return.”

But it was just a tale…a story to tell your children as they drifted to sleep, of warriors in shining armor and heroes with magic powers and laser swords.

To them, it was a tale. To that hero it was truth.

The story of a girl now a woman with no home..no love…no family...no clan of three.

There was no one else.

OBVIOUSLY, OUR STORY WITH THE CLAN OF THREE IS FAR FROM OVER!

Struggling with the trauma of their hardened youth and the threat of a new evil in the galaxy. A woman with powerful abilities and a unique bloodline joins in the fight once again.

IN THE WORKS: NO ONE ELSE SERIES

#star wars #star wars fanfiction #clan of three series #din djarin #din djarin x jedi!reader #din djarin x reader #poe dameron #poe dameron fanfiction #poe dameron x jedi!reader #poe dameron x reader #the force awakens #the last jedi #resistance reborn #rise of skywalker

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 6 months

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 6 months

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Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Haunted Memories

Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Word Count: 3.6K

Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, injuries, harsh language, tw: trauma from abusive mother, vomit, DESCRIPTION OF POSSIBLE SEXUAL ASSUALT

—————

I wish I didn't care. 'Cause I just can't compare and oh how the bitterness stings. What am I doing wrong? Do I just not belong? Oh, why can't I excel at something? Like you.

“What is wrong with you?”

Her voice roars through the small apartment rattling the walls. Your head instinctively ducks down at the sheer volume as salty tears already form in your eyes. You didn’t mean for it to happen it was an accident, you had a simple job go and get the food with the ration cards. Your tiny hands clutching the cards that determine whether you will eat or not as you race through the streets excitement across your face happy to provide help to your mother.

“How stupid are you?”

That insult was thrown at you so many times it slowly became fact. You were a stupid kid. A disgrace, brat, failure. Any comment under the sun could describe how stupid you were. The ration building was so close and the warm feeling ready to hear the praise come from your mother when you returned home.

“I should have made sure you were never born.”

Just feet away and your short legs tripped against some mere trash. You should have paid more attention, she says you’re always daydreaming your attention a thousand miles away. You hit the ground hard and fast, the scrape of concrete against your fragile skin as your grasp of the small paper cards gets picked up by the wind. You watch frozen on your stomach watching the ticket to a meal fly into the gutter disappearing from your view and in that moment you had been given a fate worse than death.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is living with such an ungrateful brat!” She was right you were one. You took her kindness for granted and this is how you repay her. Your hands clutch the end of her shirt tears welling up in your eyes as you begged for forgiveness.

“I’m sorry mama..please I’m sorry!” It hurt worse hitting the ground once more but this time at the hands of your mother. You hold your breath trying to keep in the tears but fail the second you smack against the tile of the kitchen. Fat tears roll down your face stinging the tiny cuts across your face from falling on the street as you cry before your mother. Her warnings to force you to stop go on deaf ears as you wail before her and beg for forgiveness. It was pathetic really. Big tears and snot pouring out of the child had only triggered the older woman more just the noise sent her into a rage.

“I told you…to stop fucking crying!” A harsh grip on your arm as you’re pulled to your feet stumbling to try to keep up. The door to the outside rips open as you’re tossed out your body colliding with the cold snow producing a sharp cry. Scrambling to your knees you look up at your mother disgust branded on her face as she stares at not a child anymore but a young woman.

“Starve for all I care. I don’t care about you…your bastard of a father never cared about you..the world doesn’t care about you.” Her words are like venom, as you bite your lip so hard blood pours from the self-afflicted wound. The door shakes on its old hinges as it slams shut. You race to the old wood your hands pounding on the door pleads falling from your lips,

“Mama…I’m sorry please let me in.” Your voice is hoarse and cracks with your words. The snow soaks into your thin clothes your body quickly numbs as you cry hoping she finds pity and brings you inside away from here where anyone could snatch you up and harm you.

The cable wraps around your throat tightly dragging you away from your safety as your voice is choked by the wire. It digs deep into your skin scratching to pull it free as your precious air is drained from your lungs. The other raider stalks toward you in the snow as your legs kick out the storm rages on muffling your screams.

Cries for your mother to come to your aid.

Help me.

Save me.

Love me.

Your prayers go unanswered as the cable gets taut, your lungs burning, screaming for air. The burly man towers over you pinning you the cold of the snow burning your skin as his hands move toward his belt ready to take what he wants.

This was what she warned you about. You’re a stupid girl who never listens to her.

“Mama please!” Your screams echo through the air as the man with no jaw reveals a rotten bloody grin as his hand grabs your pants.

Air rushes through your lungs as you shoot upwards the rapid ascent of bile as you fall from the bed pain pulsing in your shoulder. Your sore body stumbles to the bathroom barely reaching the toilet as you expel whatever little was in your stomach. Your eyes sting as you empty your stomach coughing at the acidic taste, feeling drained as you slump back against the wall. You wince at the inhale your hand raising to your throat sucking in a harsh breath feeling the bandaged skin but the light pressure just tracing it sends you recoiling.

Fuck that hurts.

Flushing the toilet while pulling yourself up with the help of the sink running the water to wash your hands and then cupping water in your palms to drink. Spitting out the water in the sink semi-cleaning your mouth from the bitter taste of bile you look up at the mirror. Why hadn’t you anticipated the attack? You should’ve known one was going to be coming from behind. Your brows draw together a deep frown across your face looking at yourself. Those dark circles, the weakness in your bones and muscles, you’re getting weaker.

Getting weaker makes you vulnerable.

Weak means you’ve become a liability.

Weak means you can’t protect yourself.

Weak. Weak. Weak.

The world wasn’t going to wait for you to heal. The world doesn’t care about you.

Your joints ache removing the bandages seeing the raw wound across your neck and the neat stitching along your shoulder. The water runs a murky red removing the dried blood and grime off your body wishing to stay under the hot water forever but you knew you would have to get out. You don’t think you’ll ever get used to running hot water.

You had to bite down on your lip to muffle the sounds of pain as you redressed your wounds and dressed in clothes. Your limbs ache and you already feel drained of energy but you need to persevere through. The house is silent looking out the windows it didn’t even look like the sun had risen yet. Your body begs you to return to bed and sleep but you ignore the rational side, when you lived in the cabin the few times you injured yourself you were right back at work. Surviving to get to where you are today didn’t allow you to rest, if that meant traveling with healing wounds or cold then it happened.

The walk to the stables could have been peaceful if it wasn’t for the slight pounding in your head that only grew worse when you made it to the building. You barely acknowledge the horses as they seem to sense your weakened state putting them in a concern mode. Red nudges her head against your hand when you pat the side of her face. A noise of worry for the young girl that took care of them all.

Joel was surprised to not be plagued with nightmares given the circumstances that occurred not even twenty-four hours ago. No dreams of failing those he cared about, watching the ones he loved taken from him so brutally leaving him just an empty shell. He was also surprised by the quietness of the home, no pounding of shoes rushing through the house or the banging of cabinets as Ellie went scavenging for a meal for the growing girl. Glancing at the functioning clock resting against the bedside table he saw how late he had slept in for. It was almost noon for christ sake he scolds himself. Pushing himself up and out of bed with a groan to get at the late start in the day. His joints ache and crack as he rises to his feet and the loud noise of someone bounding up the stairs makes him feel slightly alright knowing this was normal in this new life of his.

The pounding on the bedroom door was something he didn’t think was normal. A tired shuffle quickly turned into annoyance as he dressed himself as the door continued to be beaten by whoever was outside of it.

“I’m coming! You can stop your poundin’!” He shouts his voice hoarse from using it for the first time today. “Why the hell are yo-” He already had a feeling it was Ellie as he swung the door revealing the younger girl but what came out of her wasn’t what he expected.

“She’s gone!” The panic and fear in her voice and face seemed to completely wake the older man up.

“What?” Immediately alert as Ellie starts pulling him out of his room and dragging him to the stairs, “I woke up and thought to make you guys breakfast and when I went to go check out her she wasn’t there! Her shoes and coat were gone, and it looked like she hadn’t been there for hours. I wanted to go looking but I knew I should have woken you up.”

“Settle down kiddo, it’s alright. Get your shoes and coat we’ll go get Tommy.” And like he summoned his brother the front door swings open and in comes the younger Miller brother with surprisingly the person they were about to go after who looked on the verge of keeling over.

“What the hell! Where were you?!” Ellie starts spewing questions running up to her and grabbing her shoulders. The motion makes the older girl’s eyes widen and she pulls back right out the door barely making it to the porch railing before emptying her stomach right over into the snow below. Ellie and Joel jump back at the sudden action as Tommy who seems to have already dealt with this holds your hair back as you cough and spit out bile, the acidic taste bringing tears to your eyes.

“Holy fuck.” Ellie turns from the sight not able to handle someone being sick causing a turn in her stomach. Joel watches as Tommy gives some comforting words while you rest your head on the railing trying to catch your breath.

“Alright let’s get you inside,” Tommy says softly helping you back to your feet both men were surprised by the complacency given your rejection of their help last night. The younger Miller brother helps you sit on the couch pulling a blanket across your lap before joining his brother back by the front door.

“Where the hell did you find her?” Joel questions both men glancing over at you and the sickly expression and demeanour that surrounds you. “Stables was going to take her shift until someone could cover her. Found her barely able to stand looking like the wind could blow her away.” Looking back at you to find Ellie sitting beside you on the couch trying to offer you a glass of water and you accept with weak hands.

Your head was pounding with the weak sips of water added weight to your empty stomach creating more pain. Being in Jackson you’ve gotten too used to actual meals or decent food instead of picking scrapes or rationing food to last you when you were in the cabin. Even in Kansas, the limited ration cards were barely enough for a growing child your stomach used to times of going through the day with maybe only one meal or just a crumb of food in your body.

“Hey kid,” Tommy’s voice pulls you from your thoughts with a heavy head looking up at the older man squatted in front of you. “You just stay there with Ellie and keep drinking water. Gonna get you soup something light on your stomach alright?” You hum bringing your attention back to your drink and Tommy stands with a groan both he and Joel head elsewhere from your field of vision. You’re sure Joel said something to Ellie but your eyes drifted shut only to blink awake from a poke at your thigh and a whisper of your name.

“Thank fuck I thought you stopped breathing for a second,” Ellie sighs and you shift your position feeling a crick in your neck from how you rested it. Ellie sat on one end her legs crossed on the cushion while you were more splayed out on your end.

“Where’d they go?” You grumble rubbing your eyes and wincing from the soreness in your shoulder when moving it.

“Uh Tommy went to go get you some food from the mess hall and Joel went to get you painkillers for your shoulder and something for your fever,” Ellie explains fiddling with the comic in her hands. She felt a lot of pressure on her shoulders being responsible for someone much older than her. Joel basically telling to keep an eye on her and no matter the circumstances ‘Don’t Let Her Leave.’

You cough and a flare of dryness in your throat and you reach for the glass finishing the water lubricating your vocal cords, “I’m fine…” Your hands gripping the couch and trying to push yourself to stand.

“No no no. Joel said you have to stay here until they get back. You shouldn’t have been outside anyway with your injuries.” Ellie rises to her feet and grabs your arms pushing you back onto the couch a groan coming from you. “Sorry! But I can’t let you leave.”

“You’re an asshole.” You hiss your one moment of energy gone once return to the couch. “Whatever keeps you there, I’m gonna get you more water. Don’t move.” She says pointedly grabbing your empty glass she walks backward making sure you’re in her sites before bolting for the kitchen to get you more water. In the few seconds she’s gone you contemplate getting up and trying to leave but your body wins out on your mind shutting down in exhaustion.

“Alright, more water for you.” She holds it out and you accept it with a grunt, “You’re welcome.” Rolling her eyes she returns to her spot silence between the two of you before she speaks up.

“How did you get those burns on your arms.”

“No.” A tense air covers the living room and you can see Ellie fidgeting in the awkward tension and the coldness that came from you from just one word.

“I just thought…I don’t know if it’s good to talk about things. Joel says it isn’t healthy to keep things to yourself, though when I tell him shit he just scolds me and gets made like it wasn’t my fucking fault,” She kinda goes off track before refocusing, “I’m just saying maybe talking about it to someone who may get you. Instead of an adult that’s just gonna be annoying and berate you.”

“You’re like twelve though?” You say and she smacks your leg with her comic, “Fuck you I’m sixteen! You’re only two years older.” You smirk a light chuckle leaves you and Ellie has a look of shock.

“You just laughed? I’ve never heard you fucking laugh!” She gets all excited as you take of sip of your water, “And you’ll never hear it again.”

“Come on! You didn’t even crack a grin at my joke book and you know those were fucking funny.” She points her finger at you before leaning back against the arm of the couch. Your finger circles the rim of the glass your nails broken your skin littered with tiny cuts are fading scars.

“You can ask questions,” Ellie perks up, “But if I don’t want to answer you don’t push it. Got it.” It was a tiny step of her learning about you but she was taking it and running with it.

“Promise! Alright alright!” She fixes herself to be fully facing you an excited grin on your face.

“What’s your favorite color?”

Whatever time passed since Joel and Tommy left Ellie learned as much as she could from your favorite color even though you said you didn’t have one and she said everyone has one until you said orange like sunset orange, you were born in the summer though it took you a while to figure out when you were born, your favorite food being the chocolates Ellie gave you when you first met which lead her to run to the kitchen to grab them the two of you nibbling on them as you spoke, you told her you used to read when you were a kid taking as many books as you could in the QZ school library and during your travels to the cabin to keep you entertained the cabin having your ‘collection’ of books you found. It got to deeper questions that the light air took a different path.

“So how long were you in that cabin before Tommy and Jesse found you?” Ellie asks leaning her arms on her knees with interest.

“I found that place when I had just turned seventeen so it was still warm but it was going to start getting colder soon. I was with people for a bit before I left them. They found me and took me with them…they were Fireflies.” That piece of information has Ellie sitting up straight hearing the rebellion group she was closely connected to.

“You were a Firefly?” She asks and you shrug, “I didn’t believe and still don’t believe in that whole ‘Look for the Light’ bullshit. They didn’t kill me when I stumbled upon their base, they kept me alive and let me stay with them.” They could have killed you, you were just a kid with no benefits for them but they spared you. Kept you alive in this fucked up world.

“Why did you leave?” She asks. Had they come across people you knew when you were traveling? Ellie could tell Joel that you were a ‘Firefly’ maybe he’d met you before during their travels. Maybe Marlene knew of you or maybe Tommy might she was sure Joel mentioned Tommy being a Firefly once.

“Place got attacked. I’m not sure who it was but I didn’t have any ties to them. I wasn’t fighting in a dying rebellion so I left and found myself tired and bleeding at that cabin.” You say. You remember that quiet, the peace that was there in that building before you heard the pop of bullets, and suddenly people were yelling running towards the fight unaware it was coming straight towards them.

“You got hurt?” Ellie says concern in her voice. “Grabbed whatever I could and ran, whatever group or whoever was there got me. The bullet went right through my calf no matter how fast I ran. I couldn’t outrun them so I just lay there and hoped they thought I was dead.

The pain of the bullet ripping through flesh your body hitting the ground and you just reacted smearing the blood of the dead Firefly next to you and just laid there. You heard the footsteps drawing near until they stopped right before you and for a second you were actually fearful that you would die. You heard the clatter of the empty magazine land inches from your face before whoever was before you looted the Firefly’s weapon and continued on leaving you there. You weren’t sure how long you stayed there until you got up and limped your way out of that building.

“I fixed myself up then just walked until I stumbled up the cabin you know the rest.” You say and it’s quiet before you place the once again empty glass to the side looking at Ellie an unrecognizable look on her face. “You alright?” She quickly looks up the look disappears as well.

“Yeah..yeah I’m good.” She says with a nod and you return one as well, “It wasn’t an easy life but it was my life. I rather deal with the infected. They are predictable I know how they work. But people…the ones still living in this fucked up world. They are the reason I stayed in the cabin.”

It was an understandable reason, infected were easier to read and how to avoid them or to kill them. Humans had different ideas and ways of living, and that made them more dangerous. If it wasn’t for a fungus infecting a majority of them we all would have killed each sooner or later.

“All these years who taught you to survive…who looked after you in the QZ? Where were your parents during all of this.” The shock in your veins just from the mention of the two people who created you, mainly the one who was in your life.

“You think I’m going to look after an ungrateful fucking brat?!”

With the slam of that glass bottle, the chips and cracks form just waiting for the one moment when it explodes when slammed just hard enough.

The smell of the smoke would cloud the house, making your eyes water, and your lungs tight begging for fresh air.

Your skin burns as the stick is held against your skin. Screams and pleads blare in your head.

“This is all your fault!”

“Pass.”

Where the Wild Things Are Tags

If your name is crossed out tumblr won’t let me tag you for some reason. Sorry :(

#the last of us #the last of us fanfiction #the last of us hbo #joel miller #joel miller x platonic!reader #joel miller x teen!reader #joel miller x reader #ellie williams #ellie williams x platonic!reader #ellie williams x teen!reader #ellie williams x reader #tommy miller #tommy miller x platonic!reader #tommy miller x reader

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 7 months

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Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Cigarette Burns

Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Word Count: 3.8K

Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, injuries, harsh language, tw: near-death experience, trauma from abusive mother, DESCRIPTION OF BURNS

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When my time comes around. Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth. No grave can hold my body down

The cold is an enemy to fear more than infected or regular people in this kind of world. You could be in a remote area with no one for hundreds of miles, but the cold is always there. It doesn’t hide or wait for you to call it out, it attacks harshly and violently with no forgiveness. If you don’t have warm enough clothes, shelter, or fire you’re not surviving the night out with Mother Nature. It feels like thousands of needles stabbing into your skin repeatedly, or a numbing sensation that fills your body with panic when you can’t move your limbs. The cold could feel like you are melting it scorching your skin as it brings you to the sweet release of death. Cold isn’t a friend to any it went for everyone and everything, and only walked away knowing that you weren’t going to get back up.

Kansas winters were easier than Wyoming. Having a building to hide and be sheltered from, though run down with limited heat. You became resourceful, the puddle of blankets pushed right next to the heater waiting for the sputters and rattling as the heat flowed through it to get you through the night. The heater right beside the window allows you to gaze up into the sky connecting the stars to create paintings in the inky darkness. You are surprised how much was coming from the heater. It was never on for this long maybe a minute max but it was flowing steadily through.

“Honey?” The airiness of your mother’s voice threw you in a whirlwind not expecting the softness coming from the usual snarl and venom. “Come to bed with Mommy. Aren’t you so cold?” She stands at the doorway to her room holding her hand out as you push yourself up from the makeshift bed of blankets.

“But you don’t like me in your room.” You whisper out to her. It was one of the many things she ordered you to never touch. But her room was the biggest, she didn’t want you stealing anything as she puts it. She gives a soft smile still holding out her hand.

“Come on…daddy and I are waiting for you.” She says and you freeze. Your dad? But you never knew him, he left long before you were even born. A thing she constantly reminds and blames you for.

Ruining my fucking life….I should never have slept with that bastard…should have gotten rid of you the second I found out I was pregnant….bastard child along with a bastard father.

You always wondered what he’d be like, probably kind and strong, someone who would wipe your tears away when you were sad and make you smile from the jokes he would tell. To protect you from your bullies…to keep you safe from your mother. You wished he stayed so he’d take you away and it would be the two of you. But you never expressed those things. You tried asking about your father when you were very young but it only led to her screaming at you, how you were an ungrateful brat, after everything she’s done you wanted to think about being with your father. The guilt she held over your head like a toy twisting and molding it to have her be the perfect mother and you the horrible daughter.

Maybe you are a bad daughter…

Your father didn’t want you and she could have abandoned you too but didn’t. Was it love? You don’t think you knew what love is, whether platonically or romantically so those thoughts died. The idea of a father seemed like a fading thought, the idea seemed unrealistic like it was impossible to exist. Staring at the bedroom door that held your mother…and father waiting for you. To protect you…to love you.

“Come on kid!” A voice yells and your eyes snap open seeing Joel above you. Your body instantly shakes and you feel so cold and the striking pain in your shoulder and neck. It isn’t just the lack of body temperature that is painful each shiver and quake causes your body to ache and that produces more pain in your shoulder. Everything is fuzzy and dim your head feels like a dead weight as it almost lolls back if the man didn’t grab your neck to keep you stable. “Keep your eyes open. You’re alright,” He says before he yells over his shoulder, “Ellie where are those damn blankets!”

“I got them!” A young voice yells out and you see the girl holding a crap ton of blankets that she could barely see where she is walking. Another large shiver racks through your body an instinctive groan of pain as Joel looks over seeing your outerwear is off, your coat, socks, and boots are soaked in snow. The single layer of the long-sleeve shirt was still bleeding heavily and you weren’t even wearing gloves. Your fingers and parts of your face were bright red but he was glad to not see any signs of frostbite but mild symptoms of frostnip. The thick line across your throat from the cable made the flesh raw and irritated. He felt cemented in place trying to think of the next best step but he could only see his little girl in his arms when he had to carry you inside when you passed out from the pain and cold.

“Joel move, find the suture kit, and then get something warm for her drink. Tommy washcloths and gets some wood to start a fire. Ellie watch him.” Maria moves the older man aside before giving her son to the younger girl as she takes over the survival and motherly instincts coming out taking complete control of the situation. Your body practically vibrates from the cold and Maria moves closer you try to pull away but your shoulder makes you wince.

“You’re alright I need to take off your shirt so we can check your wounds. You have something under this?” Her voice is warm and comforting and she could see fear in your eyes surprising her used to sharp and cold ones. After gaining more sense of consciousness and understanding of the situation you were in you nod and she helps you sit up the blankets covering part of your stomach and your legs. Tommy returns with the washcloths and Joel with the suture kit before they return to their second task. Her hands move to your shirt and you stiffen and she waits noticing the uneven rhythm of your breathing before helping take off your shirt. Left in a slightly bloody tank top the shirt now clutched between your hands as you hear Maria’s sharp inhale. The noise drew the attention of the two adults just finishing their duties and the young girl.

Ellie had entered the kitchen with the baby to keep their view away from that finding the man standing there frozen unsure what to make, you couldn’t have coffee it could mess with your heart, and alcohol was out of the question. Joel had seen your aversion to the amber liquid. He hadn’t noticed the tightness in his chest and the ringing in his ears until Ellie grabbed his arm pulling him out of his state of panic.

“Joel..” The girl pulls him from his thoughts as he looks at his surrogate daughter, “You alright?” He wasn’t sure where this sudden state of panic came from. He had watched you ride out after one of the horses, himself and Tommy following after entering the storm urgency in them knowing you had no idea what was out there and you were defenseless. They had heard the large bang that sent fear through both brothers before the horses appeared without the rider. Joel headed off where they came from while Tommy wrangled the creatures. He had arrived just before it was too late seeing you being choked by a raider quickly shooting the one that was suffocating you seeing the damage you committed to the other raider. You had almost attacked him the fear and adrenaline probably overdosing your veins seeing the cold affecting you and the speckles of blood on your face.

It was that same fear in your eyes that he’d seen before. The years ago when Ellie had been kidnapped he was too late to rescue her from losing her innocence as she killed her captor, but the same fear that night all those years ago as his little girl clutched his arms as the life faded from her. He saw that same fear in your eyes and it sent him into a panic like he was reliving a horrid memory where he just kept failing. The nightmares he couldn’t remember when he woke up though he didn’t have them as often but when you came into his life they seemed to return. You are harsher and ruthless, everything he was during the beginning of the end of the world but you were only a kid. Tainted with the basics of childhood and thrust into the hate and death of the world. There are many things he wanted to know; how did you end up in Wyoming from Kansas, did you lose your parents during your travels, he wanted to know everything that there was about you. This draw and connection he didn’t think he’d feel. You are blunt, crude, aggressive, and an annoyance to him but here he stood panicking over you.

Why?

“I don’t think we have anything…to um..drink.” He says forcing himself to take a shaky inhale to calm his rapid heartbeat. Ellie seems to sense the panic and see the softness in the man’s eyes. Despite it being about a year in Jackson Joel was still a recluse, sure he helped around the community being a contractor in his past but he wasn’t one to make friends. He spoke in short phrases, grunts, and nods when people talked to him. It reminded her of someone she knew. He only really cracked a smile or told those dumb jokes around his brother or Ellie, and sometimes Maria. But you are here and she saw the softness as he held you in his arms bringing you inside or when he spoke to you before he was sent off into the kitchen. Ellie moves through the kitchen opening a cabinet reaching into the far back feeling the bag of treats she has hidden pulling out the bag of chocolatey goodness then to a fridge pulling out some milk. She puts the objects in Joel’s hands as he looks at them confused.

Ellie points at the chocolate and the milk, “Put that in there and heat it up, it’s good. It’s called-” “I know what hot chocolate is.” Joel grunts surprised to see the candy it looks handmade as he gets to work. He remembers a time when he made these during Christmas with small marshmallows and using candy canes to stir, even on rainy days watching a movie, or during sick days knowing they always warmed up Sarah making her feel better from whatever illness was affecting her. It was domestic and normal standing over the stove watching the milk heat up as he stirred the broken pieces of chocolate to melt once warm enough pouring it into a mug. He enters the room with the younger girl and his nephew and hears Maria’s sudden inhale and panic rises in him.

“What is it?” Tommy asks heading towards his wife stopping and his eyes widen taken over by shock. Joel was more panicked and Ellie was curious about what was going on as she and Joel took in what was shocking Maria and Tommy. They all noticed the scars that litter your arms, they expected something from someone who protected themselves out in this fucked up world. But they were crude the scars probably worse than the injury with the suture work you likely performed on yourself, but that wasn’t the scar and injury that had caught Maria’s attention and soon drew all theirs as Ellie tried understanding what a group of scars on your arms were.

“What is that?” Ellie questions the dot-shaped scars and Joel feels a sickness fill his stomach, “Are those burns?” She says that the adults in the room who did live in a normal world at one point recognize the scars that could only be caused by an object that was used by frequently stressed-filled parents with sticks of nicotine.

“Ellie take Liam upstairs. Now.” Joel’s voice is harsh and the teen tries to protest but with the look Joel gives her she doesn’t dare to defy taking the young baby upstairs the door to her room closing. Tommy stands up holding a fist to his mouth trying to hold in his rage.

“Jesus fucking Christ.” Tommy spits the anger thick in his voice “Tommy.” Joel gives a warning tone to his younger brother.

“It’s fucking cigarette burns Joel. Christ,” Tommy wipes his hands down his face, “Those have to be years old.” You frown at Tommy's pacing vibrating with frustration and rage. The younger Miller seems to have noticed your look bending down to your level, “I’m not mad at you kid it’s just…you didn’t deserve this whoever did this to you.” You look away from the male using part of the shirt to cover your arms the small burns covered your forearms but the damage was already done they had seen it. Maria starts grabbing the needle and thread but you try stopping her.

“I can do it,” You look ashamed seeing their pity in their faces, “I don’t need your help.” Maria shakes her head.

“Just let me do this for you or we’re getting the doctor.” She places the final offer but you’re trying to pull your shirt back on biting your lip to stop the groan of pain and the once-clotted blood begins free-flowing. Joel curses grabbing one of the washcloths and presses it to your shoulder.

“Stop it! I don’t need your help!” You yell trying to pull away but it only creates more pain for you. “Stop it kid. You can’t see the full extension of it and your previous work isn’t a good show of trust,” Joel says and you glare up at him.

“Please kid, you’ve been bleeding for a while.” Tommy pleads and the rational side that wishes to live wins out but the more pissed off side doesn’t go down easy.

“I don’t want you here.” You say and Tommy sighs but if that was what got you to comply he gets up heading towards the stairs. You look over at Joel who hasn’t moved, “You too. I don’t fucking need you, Joel.” You hiss and for a second you feel guilty seeing his concern reveal slight hurt before it’s quickly covered by the mean expression constantly on his face. Joel nods stiffly moving out of the living room past his brother the door to his room slamming shut while Tommy makes his way to Ellie’s room to see his son.

The living room is quiet except for the occasional grunt of pain from you when the needle pierces through your skin and a murmur of apologies from Maria. Holding one of the washcloths to wipe away stray blood that spills Maria sits behind you as you sit sideways on the couch. Your gaze is drawn to the falling snow from the window in the living room counting the flakes that made contact with the glass.

“You know you should talk about it.” Maria speaks up and she watches your shoulders stiffen at her words before she continues, “You had us worried when Tommy and Joel watched you rush after that horse.” It’s quiet and she isn’t even sure if you heard what she said.

“We only want what’s best for you and seeing these kinds of injuries on your body. I worry Tommy worries, Ellie worries, even Joel. Especially Joel.” She says and a mixture of a scoff and laugh comes from you.

“What do you know what’s best for me…you’ve kept me here for your safety.” You say, “If you wanted to you could have killed me already so no one would find this place.” It was true if this had been any situation and you had stumbled upon them you would have been six feet under by now, but they met you, they came to the cabin, they decided to bring you back and help you. You could have bled out in that cabin if they had left when you told them to.

“And we didn’t because we are trying to bring back a sense of normalcy here. If we just killed people left and right we would be no better than those raiders after you,” Maria says and you hiss slightly from the needle entering your flesh. “In case you hadn’t noticed everyone in this building cares about you. And no matter how much you curse or say you don’t need our help. Deep down there’s a part of you that wants to let us in to ask for help.”

Maria lets silence fill the two of you as she continues her sewing and you don’t seem to even flinch at the pain. “It’s my fault anyway.” You say and Maria glances over your shoulder seeing you grip the bloody washcloth between your hands.

“I got myself in that mess and I found out what happened….I fucked around and I found out.” Your voice was thick tracing each burn on your arms with your eyes each ranging from light scar tissue from how long it's been others just as old darken from how long the butt of the stick pressed into your flesh. The young screams still echo in your ears as your arm was held to the table when it first happened just to get hit for crying. You learned quickly to not cry when she gave you that punishment.

“And who said it was your fault cause those don’t look like just a one-time occurrence.” Maria presses wanting to hear a name or someone. She prays whoever did this was long dead or suffering a horrible life. You felt a tightness in your throat at the question. You can still smell the nicotine and liquor on her breath the harsh grip of her nails breaking the skin with her warnings.

“Tell anyone and you’re going to wish you were never born.”

She isn’t here she couldn’t do anything. As much as you knew she was long gone Kansas City was running wild with infected from what Ellie described in her journeys.

“My..my mom.” It was so quiet you are certain she didn’t hear you but she did. She pauses the needle held in her hand as she looks at the profile of you. “It wasn’t her fault. She acts out when she’s mad. We were low on ration cards and I had gotten in trouble with Fedra.” It was a ramble of excuses that Maria knew did excuse burning your child. Maria’s silence makes you stop.

“Just…don’t tell them. I can feel your pity eating away.” You say and the older woman frowns she does feel bad for you. No child should have ever been treated like that and she was certain some of these other injuries may have been the cause of your mother.

“And your father,” She finally speaks up as she ties off the last stitch moving to clean the rest of the blood with the cloth, “He didn’t try to stop her?”

“A man that I’ve never met can’t really help ya know.” You say dryly. You wish he was there. Maybe he would have stopped it all, taken you away, and been the dad you’ve only seen in stories and dreams. But he wasn’t. Did that make him worse than her, he left a woman pregnant in a world that was ending around you all. Wrapping your shoulder in the bandage and briefly covering your neck she pulls back beginning to collect the items for the suture kit and bloody washcloths.

“Thank you.” You say and Maria looks back seeing you still not facing her and a small grin grows on her face. It was progress, slow progress but progress. More than a one-sided conversation though not a lighthearted one and a ‘thank you’ not some nod or even forced. Genuine.

“Just be careful with your shoulder.” She says before she heads upstairs to collect her husband and son from the event-filled night. When both Miller brothers, Maria and Ellie return downstairs to head out but also check in on you just catching a glimpse of you retreating to your room. The living room was back in order the suture kit was all packed up the bloody washcloths and your shirt was thrown away. Maria reassured the three of them you were alright and Ellie was a bit upset wanting to see you but retreated back to her room to sleep. Joel looks over at the mug still full resting on the table his gesture of help is forgotten and it makes his chest ache slightly.

“She’s gonna be alright?” Tommy says while fixing his grip on his sleeping son, the three adults had seen the scars and burns, and how you acted to them and towards people explained a lot.

“It was a pretty deep cut and her neck was raw as hell but other than that she’s alright,” Maria explains but Joel could see she was hiding something. There was a look on her face something she knew but she didn’t tell him even Tommy.

“And the burns,” Tommy whispers not wanting to speak up on it around his son even though he was fast asleep and too young to remember. Joel watches Maria as she pauses before fixing her coat.

“She wouldn’t tell me how she got them.” Liar. He could spot the lie as clear as day. But why was she covering for you? Joel nods and with nothing more to say the small family of three left to return to their home as Joel moves to the living room. Your coat hung on the hooks and your shoes and socks were piled neatly in the corner despite him ripping them off you in a panic. It’s as if you were never injured and sewed back together on the couch. Your features for such a young girl held such tiredness and stress even as you bled out. No fear though. Not a moment where you were afraid of dying just wanting this moment of weakness to go. A weight in his gut from the circumstances of today, thousands of scenarios running through his head, what if he and Tommy were too late for the raiders? What if your injuries were too severe for them to help you?

Stop it, Joel.

He shakes his head looking at the couch and your words ring back at him,

“You too. I don’t fucking need you, Joel.”

Pulling back like he was burned he returns to his room pushing away the insecurities and questions. The still-filled mug remains on the table the only thing holding the memories of what occurred tonight.

#the last of us #the last of us fanfiction #the last of us hbo #joel miller #joel miller x teen!reader #joel miller x platonic!reader #joel miller x reader #ellie williams #ellie williams x platonic!reader #ellie williams x teen!reader #ellie williams x reader #tommy miller #tommy miller x platonic!reader #tommy miller x reader

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 7 months

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Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 5

Chapter Five: A Cold Death

Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Word Count: 3.6K

Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, injuries, harsh language, tw: violence/abuse towards minors and heavy gore

—————

It is felt as the Reaper draws in near. It chills both blood and breath. It makes the hour of doom so clear. It always comes, the Cold of Death

When Joel and Tommy told you a few days following the mess hall incident they had a job they wanted you to do as this would be your ‘form’ of punishment. When the terms of punishment came up for you there was much they could think of, you didn’t have any possessions they could confiscate, you didn’t have friends to stop seeing, and keeping you in the house was what they were trying not to do. But it finally came to them when Ellie came home complaining about a certain chore she disliked.

“You want me to look after the horses?” You say looking at Tommy and Joel as the three of you stand in the stable. The huffing and sounds the horses make as you look at the empty stables the lack of humans only the creatures.

“Simple job, keep the stalls clean, make sure they have food and water,” Tommy explains as he brings you further inside as Joel stands by the entrance watching. He shows you where everything thing listening but your gaze is drawn to the large creatures. “Maria thinks it best for you to do some work in the community to keep you occupied and this is—” Tommy tries explaining

“The best job away from people.” You glance over your shoulder as the older man awkwardly chuckles heading towards the stable opening by Joel, “We’ll let you get situated one of us will stop by with some lunch for you.” Tommy says the two men looking at your back turned to them as you survey the stables before they leave. Hearing their retreating footsteps you welcome the silence beside the horses that look at you in curiosity. One horse catches your eye a large black mare, her eyes seem to be staring straight into your soul. Cautiously moving closer to the creature as she huffs and you freeze, it whinnies shaking her head the long mane an even deeper shade of black. Holding your hand out as she stares at you before reaching her head further out the stall her nose brushing against the back of your palm accepting your greeting. A quip of your lip as your hand slides up her face petting the horse glancing down at the name across the stall.

“Red huh,” You huff a laugh at the oxymoron of the name with the appearance of the horse.

The stable quickly became a second place for you to hide from the people of Jackson. You wouldn’t call the house your home, you only were there cause the cell was occupied at the moment and it would be soon that you could leave Jackson. Your day starts in the stables leaving in the early morning and you wouldn’t leave until late into the night until you were certain no one was out to spot you. Joel and Tommy had quickly noticed the unorthodox schedule, but they weren’t going to fight you on it. Though it did frighten the two of them when you hadn’t returned home your first night until past midnight. It was baby steps. You avoided the main streets, taking the backroads or even walking through strips of forest to reach the stables in the morning but walked the main streets at night when the town was fast asleep. Joel wasn’t even sure if you slept in your bed but he was only confirmed hearing the door to your room late into the night proving you return home each night.

You didn’t eat at the mess hall claiming yourself blacklisted despite the fact Maria and Tommy had gone to the council and Seth and explained the reason for the incident then. It didn’t bother you that much, you prefer the quietness of eating the apple you would take from the pile that was dedicated to the horses or picking at the random foods or snacks Ellie had thrown into your pack. When she asked if you had lunch you shrugged waving her off and telling her you had an apple for breakfast. She proceeded to bolt to the mess hall coming back to the stables with two sandwiches making you eat it all as she watched. With Ellie in classes, Joel on patrols or helping around the community, and Tommy and Maria focusing on their family you were left to your own devices in the stable. You had learned quickly the ways things worked, which horses preferred what kind of feed, the proper way to clean the stalls, and everything you needed until it became muscle memory. You had grown a close connection to Red, though you cared for all the horses you just felt closer to the mare. Sitting in her stall on the wooden gate as she rests on the pile of hay. The place is already secluded you assume no one enjoying the daunting task of taking care of the horses and all the steps but you don’t have much to do. There had been a few times when a stablehand that prepared the horses for patrols had run into you and that had not been a great interaction. The both of you were frozen staring at each other before he turned sprinting out of there as you stood there silently. You had made sure after that to avoid or leave the stables whenever you knew the patrols were starting or returning.

It was getting closer to dusk as you are busy brushing the coat for one of the older horses Dakota who just recently gave birth to a healthy pair of colts. The birth had been a bit daunting but the resident veterinarian and her assistant was an expert in what she was doing, as you watched through the gaps of the stable gates rushing away when they turned in your direction.

A sharp set knock against one of the stalls and you peek out spotting Tommy his hands resting on the buckle of his belt as he examines the state of the stables, “You doing well here.” He compliments and you nod returning to brushing the mare’s coat. Tommy had watched your body language before he made his presence known you were lax and for once calm but he could see the slight tension in your shoulder and your work had become stagnant brushing the same spot to look busy.

“So Maria made chicken and greens for dinner. Joel and Ellie are coming,” He speaks up before quickly adding, “You're more than welcome to come…we would like you to.” You didn’t look at him now stopped in your work an unreadable look on your face.

“Ellie made chocolate chip cookies with Maria as well. She’s sure you’re going to like them,” He hopes that you would be tempted to join Ellie having clued him in on the one treat you seemed to like from your first meeting with her.

“I have to make sure Dakota’s stall is all prepped and the colts are fed,” You say trying not to focus on the small frown that covers the older man’s face, “I mean we can wait for when you’re done or I can have someone take ove-”

“I’m fine,” You stop him, “Go eat with your family.” Tommy slightly winces at the comment ‘your family’. Part of him wanted to say that you are part of the family but seeing the slightly uncomfortable look at the idea of being at a family dinner he sighs patting his hand on the wooden stall door.

“Alright…maybe try to swing by if you finish early.” He says and you make no noise to respond busying yourself as you turn away from him. You hear Tommy stand there for a second before sighing and turning not before bidding goodbye. You sigh listening to the retreating footsteps and the tension dissipates from you. You ate with some of them before, Ellie swinging by the stables with a snack or lunch to make sure you ate, Tommy popping in to bring lunch or dinner from the mess hall only staying for a one-sided chat before heading off, you ate with Joel once-well not really. You had returned late in the night and wanted a sandwich to eat before heading to bed when you ran into Joel in the kitchen. You both were frozen on opposite sides as he nursed a glass of amber that almost sent you into a panic resulting in your dropping the jar of jam and getting glass everywhere. You almost stepped on the glass in your sock-clad feet in an attempt to escape to your room without dinner that night.

The dining table was set in the Tommy and Maria Miller household as the Millers plus Ellie sat around the table the mouthwatering food before them but a hesitation rest over the group. The young girl glances over at the empty seat separating her from Joel before looking up at her father figure with a look that morphs from excitement to sadness when she realizes you aren’t coming. Joel sighs looking over at his brother who too looks slightly disappointed.

“Come on let’s eat.”

The house is quiet as you creak the door open entering trailing in a bit of snow but making sure to remove your coat and shoes. Just the repeated motions filled your every day but there were things you missed about being outside the walls. The hunting, the nature, the cabin you had created in a haven for yourself, the sense of purpose each day decided and crucial for your survival. But in Jackson…you felt empty, you were either in the stables or your room, only talking-well more like listening to four people but those were just reminders to not be yourself. The harsh bitter person was all you had for yourself, you didn’t understand compassion, friendship, or kindness. You were never given those things. That version kept you protected and safe not smiles and pleasantries. Every day in Jackson you felt like you were losing a piece of yourself, seeing the cracks form in the walls you had kept up for many years. You couldn’t allow that, letting down your guard allows vulnerability, weakness was not what you needed, and to worry about others puts you at risk.

Peeking into the kitchen spotting the small container with a note attached on top. ‘Leftovers from dinner for you :)’ In Ellie’s handwriting and you see the dinner Tommy said, Maria had made and on top wrapped in a napkin a cookie and you recognize the chunks of chocolate inside. You move to grab the food when you hear a noise. Not an unpleasant noise, not something from a human but a twang that is crisp and warm. It is muffled with different pitches blending as you move from the kitchen to your room that resides beside the back porch door. You could see the light on and the noise only grows louder. Reaching the door and peering out the window you didn’t expect Joel to be there sitting on one of the chairs an object you’ve never seen before in his hands. With one hand he presses down on the thinner part changing the pattern and placement of his fingers the other strums down on the strings or plucks them as it creates a sweet sound. He is relaxed and clearly in his element as he plays into the open night as you watch on. You watch him finish the piece as it grows silent and he looks at the broken watch on his wrist before moving to stand. You hurry back to your room forgetting about your meal getting under the covers to not be spotted as you hear the porch door open. Joel enters closing and locking the door behind him seeing the new pair of shoes at the front door and some freshly tracked in snow. Looking at your bedroom door before creaking open. Your back is turned to him as you stare off into the wall hearing his soft breathing as you slow your own to make it look like you were asleep. The floors creak as he takes a step forward before pausing and stepping back and you hear the door close again. You wait until you hear his footsteps retreat before heading up the stairs you sit up staring at the door. Your chest feels heavy unable to fight the sudden conflict of what you were doing with your life as you struggle to go to sleep that night.

It only seemed to get colder, the snow deeper going further into the winter as you pour new hay into the stalls raking them out. Usually, during these times you would stock up extra wood to warm the cabin on the really cold winter nights sleeping in front of the fireplace on the couch instead of the room. In the few months, you’ve been in Jackson you hadn’t thought about the cabin, was it still there or overtaken by those raiders? Maybe they burnt it to the ground as a message to you if you were to return. Well, not if…it is when. When it grew warmer and the snow melted they could have forgotten all about you and left you to return home. To leave Jackson and this all behind to return to your life. That was the goal, leave the safety and comfort to head back into the harsh outdoors you were more proficient in. You aren’t good at conversation, shrugs, and short sentences even with the people you live with. It is like pulling out teeth trying to get you to speak, it is easier for you to just listen. You did talk when you were cursing out or insulting someone, you could speak insults for hours…days even. The large gate to the stables opens and you peek out the stall you are in seeing one of the stablehands, a boy around your age the one who had run out when he first met you. He doesn’t run when there is a chance he bumps into you. You keep to yourself giving him space as he saddles and unsaddles them. He holds the two reins one being Red who walks calmly into the stable bringing herself into the stall you find yourself in as you pet her head as she gives a sound of greeting. The other one in the boy’s hand is more frantic as he pulls on the reins to get it to walk but it fights against him. Its jerky movements make it kick a bucket of water a large crash fills the air startling the creature. As it rears up with a whinny as you dart out seeing the commotion as the boy tries to calm the horse but it touches the ground and bolts. He dives out of the way but hits one of the pillars as the horse sprints out of the stable. You both stare at each other in shock before you rush over to the still-saddled horse and you pull Red out of her stall.

“Can you ride?!” You shout shoving the reins in his direction as he stares at you with a shocked and fearful expression. He stutters over his words and you curse slinging one foot in one of the stirrups and the other swinging over the horse’s body. “Come on Red work with me.” You say before snapping the reins as the horse takes off out of the stable the cold and snowy air whipping against your face. The last time you’ve been on a horse was first arriving in Jackson and that was you barely conscious and just having to hold on, actually riding is a completely different scenario. The horse seems to understand the situation and your lack of skill leading itself through the main street after the horse that is tearing through the street. Shouts and cries fill the air as people barely dodge the horse careening down the busy street another with a girl on top shouting at them to ‘fucking move!’

The horse almost mows down a mother with her child and you see Tommy pull the two back and Joel failing at grabbing the wild horse's reins. You barely make eye contact as you whip past them and you hear the shocked yells of your name. You see the gate coming closer as they are closing the doors, “Move! Fucking Move!” You shout waving your hand as the two men manning the gates dive out of the way as the horse sprints out of Jackson yourself and Red following right behind and you’re outside the walls for the first time in months. The snow whips around you as you listen for the noises of the horse your hands grip the reins wrapping around your fist. Red leads you using her skills to find the creature as you head further into the quickly growing storm. You see the horse struggling in branches its reins tangled in the low-hanging branches.

“Woah…woah!” You call out to the struggling horse over the strong winds feeling the cold sink into your skin as you untangle the reins from the branches the horse settling realizing you were helping. Tying the reins to Red’s to keep them together you force the horse to turn to make the trip back only to see the blizzard that surrounds you. Trying to follow the tracks the horses lead you further through the forest before they fade the snow falling too fast the path covered. “Fuck!” You yell and the two horses stir sensing the panic and frustration. Your free hand strokes her mane looking around for anything that looks familiar though it’s useless. You’ve never been outside, you don’t know the patrol trails, and you were out here blind. You still had some daylight sunset growing near and you couldn’t be outdoors in this weather and at night.

A large crack from your left fills the air and your head snaps over to the sound the only sounds being the heavy winds, the snorts of the horses, and your heavy breathing smoke pouring from your mouth due to the cold. You were frozen on the horse your mind running with a thousand possibilities, a wild animal, or infected no you can’t hear the damn wind was too loud to listen, what if the raiders were here? Surrounding you with their weapons aimed to take you out, your freezing hands curl around the reins your head on a swivel. You hear something throw in the air seeing an object land on the ground before a large flash fills the air and a loud explosion mixed in. Despite Red’s calm attitude towards all this the bright light and loud noise startles them both.

You’re thrown off the creature landing harshly onto the snow, your ears ringing and your vision blurry from the light as you see someone running over towards you. You barely rolled out of the way dodging the hatchet being lodged into your chest. Twisting the person’s grip on the weapon gaining the hatchet, they whip out a knife catching you in the arm the blade digging across your shoulder. Swinging the hatchet out the blade drags along their face basically cleaving off their jaw. They fall to their back as you grab the knife ramming it deeply into their neck producing a liquid gurgle of blood. The snow soaks parts of your clothes and the warmth of blood on your shoulder and speckles of it on your face as you rise to stand catching your breath.

With the heavy winds and your labored breaths, you didn’t hear the crunch of snow coming from behind you as the cable is pulled over your throat and you’re pulled back into another body. Your hand grasps the cord that digs into your skin your feet slide through the snow trying to catch your grip as you violently thrash in your assailant that chokes you out from behind. You swing the hatchet back feeling it dig into their leg a cry fills the air as you try to grab it but they pull tighter pushing you to the tips of your feet to fight. Snarls and choked noises break from your mouth your fingers digging into the cable that burrows itself further into your neck your air cut off. You can’t even see your enemy fully just parts of their body as you thrash spots beginning to dance in your vision. A large crack fills the air and you feel liquid and matter hit the back of your head as the wire releases from your neck a large gasp of air enters your lungs as you hit the ground. Clutching your neck with your injured arm using the other to pull the hatchet out of the dead man’s leg you hear the sound of horses and you hear quickly approaching footsteps. You swing with a hoarse cry but you’re quickly disarmed.

“Kid!” Joel stares back at you as you breathe heavily looking at the man, he quickly takes in your wild appearance seeing the injury on your neck and noticing the blood soaking your shoulder. You’re brought to your feet, one of his hands pressing onto the bloody cut and you hiss in pain. “Joel!” Tommy’s voice cuts through the storm as he’s on his horse the two horses beside him.

“I got her!” Joel yells slinging his rifle over his free shoulder and keeping firm pressure on your wound as he helps you on the horse first then pulling himself after wrapping his hand around your body to grab the reins, “Let’s go!” He says as the three of you leave the bodies in the storm your mind and body drain quickly letting the cold pull you under.

#the last of us #tlou fanfiction #joel miller x platonic!reader #joel miller x teen!reader #joel miller x reader #joel miller #ellie williams x platonic!reader #ellie williams x teen!reader #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams #tommy miller x platonic!reader #tommy miller x reader #tommy miller

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 7 months

Text

Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Snow Angel

Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Word Count: 4.7K

Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, injuries, harsh language, tw: violence/abuse towards minors and unwanted comments from men

—————

I'll make it through the winter if it kills me. I can make it faster if I hurry. I'll angel in the snow until I'm worthy. But if it kills me, I tried

Tension is thick and heavy in the Miller home as Joel steps away from the door his failed attempt to open it with it locked before he hears something being pushed in front of it. He had seen the panic in your eyes, and he knew it wasn’t from the fight you were in. The older man looks over seeing his child and her friend standing where you once stood before you took off. “Joel.” She starts but he’s turning away moving to the kitchen,

“I don’t wanna hear it.” Ellie follows after him Dina trailing behind,

“No fucking listen to me. That wasn’t her fault you hear me!” Ellie points outside defending you and Joel places his hands on the counter.

“She broke a kid’s arm. Almost beat Seth’s kid to death if we didn’t show up. How is that not her fault?!” He yells as Ellie glares at him.

“She was fucking protecting us!” Ellie yells back, “They were harassing Dina, and when I tried stepping in they started messing with me. I didn’t think she’d beat the shit out of them, but she was protecting us.” Ellie explains and Joel looks over at Dina who nods anxiously being in the very tense home. The door slams open and Tommy quickly enters the kitchen.

“This is fucking great! Jesus Christ,” Tommy says gripping his hair as he kicks a chair that slides away from him, “Half the council wants her out, but the other part knows the raiders are gonna find Jackson because of her.” Tommy hisses.

“What the hell was that girl thinking?” Tommy says as Joel shakes his head leaning against the counter.

“Girls said she was protecting them,” Joel says gesturing to the girls who nod frantically.

“Ellie tried protecting me from Derek and the boys but they wouldn’t stop, when they brought up Ellie’s parents, she just jumped in. We didn’t expect it to go that far,” Dina explains as Tommy listens to her story,

“Those fuckers started all of this by bothering Dina.” Ellie spats and Joel gives her a look at her language. Tommy sighs pinching his nose, “I’ll talk to Maria and she’ll talk to the boys to get them to fess up but I gotta talk to the kid, she can’t do this if she wants to stay.” Tommy moves to your room twisting the handle not feeling it budge before knocking on it,

“Kid, it’s Tommy can you let me in?” He calls out only to get silence. “She barricaded herself in there,” Joel comments and his brother lets out a curse knocking his fist to the wall.

“Okay just keep me posted when she comes out, I gotta go let Maria know about all of this. Dina, you better head off as well.” Tommy says and the younger girl nods bidding her goodbyes while Joel leads Tommy to the porch, “Christ Joel I don’t know what the hell to do with that girl. Is she better out there than here safe with people?”

Joel is silent, he thought he and Ellie had a rough transition when they arrived in Jackson. A harsh attitude towards everyone but at least he had Tommy to help adjust then Ellie had gotten those friends. You had no one, you were brought here then kept locked up like an animal for almost a month to be brought out and just assumed to assimilate instantly. He felt a bit of guilt with how he treated you. You were only a kid from what Ellie told him you were only two years older than the girl. He felt torn in two, one was the fearful side of what he knew could do, but the other side he thought had died many years ago but was brought back by the sixteen-year-old girl. The one that wanted to protect and keep you safe, that paternal feeling that he felt towards Ellie but he was confused why he felt it so deeply towards you. So he covered it with anger and ruthlessness with curses and insults thrown your way only for you to return it.

“Tommy, you go figure that stuff out, I’ll keep you updated.” He pats his brother's shoulder and nods heading off his porch and heading back towards the main street. The day moves too quickly as the streetlights begin to turn on with the sunset. Joel turns back inside finding the young girl sitting against your door with a sad look on her face. His heart aches to see his surrogate daughter upset and knows he had a factor in it.

“Come on kid,” He calls out to Ellie as she looks up at him, “Get some rest you had a long day.” Joel watches the girl pull herself to her feet silently moving past him climbing the stairs slowly completely not Ellie-like and this only makes him feel worse. Joel sighs moving to the kitchen his hand grabs the glass and amber liquid before pausing and putting it away and the glass in the sink and moving to make himself a cup of coffee.

You were frozen as you sat in the corner of the dark room, outside was quiet and the house was silent as well. Slowly moving to stand your face aches in pain same with your bloody knuckles. You were only making things worse here, people were only to get hurt because of you. Looking in the boxes you find an old tattered backpack and you start shoving some clothes in the bag. You would worry about food and supplies later. You would head back to the cabin and get stuff then leave. Head north as you planned, go to Canada, and live there away from everyone. Grabbing a shirt and ripening it into strips wrapping them around your knuckles the fabric already soaking the blood using another piece pressing it against your lip hissing in pain from the split skin. You move to the door cringing at the loud noise the dresser produces as it scratches against the wood floors and you pause trying to listen for anything before you open the door and enter the dark hallway. It was dark but you knew all you had to do was walk forward and you’d reach the door and you’d be outside. Your footsteps are silent listening for any movements from anywhere in the house as you pass the opening to the living room.

“What are you doing kid,” A voice calls out making you freeze you look over spotting a shadowy figure and you see an arm move before light fills the room from the small lamp on the table next to him. Joel sat a mug in his hand no longer a glass of amber, was he waiting for you? “Where are you going?” He asks and you tighten your grip on the backpack strap.

“I’m leaving. You’re right I’m a problem here..I’d rather take my chances with the raiders.” You say turning to grab the door handle.

“Stop it, kid.” He stops you once again your hand on the handle, “Listen…shit...I’m... I’m sorry.” He says and your hand falls from the door as you turn to face the man who looks quite anxious under your gaze unlikely the times he looked so intimidating. “You shouldn’t be forced to make these kinds of decisions and I shouldn’t have treated you like an adult when you are a kid.”

“I’m eighteen.” You retort and he gives you a look before continuing, “You were brought here to just be locked up and then forced to act normal around people you just met. You reacted a whole lot better than I would’ve.” He says and you give him a look.

“I broke one guy’s arm and some guy’s face, how is that a whole lot better.” You say and his look darker slightly, “I probably would have killed the guys.” The room grows silent at his confession as he looks over you.

“What I’m trying to say is you weren’t given time to adjust and your actions are justified,” Joel says and you slowly nod, “So if you’re going to leave I won’t stop you, but you won’t be safe out there I can tell you that. But if you decide to stay you’ll be protected here I promise you that.” He brings the mug to his lips taking a sip as silence once more fills the room as you are torn between two places. You were more in your element out there where it was ruthless and chaotic, here it was normal though you never knew of normal, it was like the outbreak never happened here. Families could live and grow, and children wouldn’t be in fear of Fedra or infected attacking anyone. It was protected and that was something you’ve never experienced before. You protected yourself but you’ve never once in your life been protected by others. The rational part of your mind tells you to leave, you knew what you were doing. You survived eighteen years of your life without the help of others but the irrational part is the one that looks at the calm man before you. The older man who urges you to stay and be safe…to be a kid again. That part of your mind that wants that normalcy, to have friends, to not fight every day to survive, to be taken care of due to the lack you received as a child. You stare at the door handle in front of you calling for you to leave but the backpack slides off your shoulder hitting the floor and Joel lets out a small sigh of relief.

“This doesn’t make us friends or whatever…you or your family,” Your voice cold that thick boundary place and he watches the small glimpse of you disappear replaced by the girl from outside the walls. The one that murdered a group of raiders alone and only cared about herself and her survival, “I don’t need any of you.”

He doesn’t get to answer as you turn to head back to your room the door closing behind leaving him alone. Joel thinks of the event that led all of them here. Would things have been different if they left you in that cabin or if Tommy or Jesse never met you? You both would have lived in your separate worlds maybe at one point in time met but it would have been as enemies. Either them putting a bullet in your head or you get them first. The tough-hitting thoughts create a pain in his head and he sighs finishing up the drink before retreating to his room. He pauses at the foot of the stairs looking down the hall to where you rest before he heads upstairs to try and get some sleep.

It was weird sleeping in a bed after weeks of being in that cell with that concrete bed. It was too soft and you sank into the mattress. You did feel much warmer under the thick blankets, unlike the single thin and scratchy blanket in the cell. The sunlight woke you up hitting you directly in the eye, you grimace feeling the dry blood on your face and your hands. Looking around the room and finding the bag you packed last night resting on the dresser you knew you hadn’t brought it back here. You open the pack and grab some clothes before you exit the room. It’s relatively quiet as you enter the bathroom that’s right across from your room glad you didn’t have to go upstairs. It seemed stocked up as you stripped jumping into the shower. It took you a second to figure out the mechanics almost shouting from the sudden cold water that drenched you but it soon became warm and you quickly accepted. You lather your hair in the shampoo and conditioner as you clean the rest of your body, the water once clear runs red with the blood you had to scrub off your body. Once done you dress and find a brush getting all the tangles and knots out of your hair letting it rest naturally wet against your neck. The bathroom seemed stocked with everything you would need some items you’ve never seen before or hadn’t had quite the luxury of having. You never were more grateful for a stick of deodorant enjoying the fresh scent of it plus the soap. Leaving the bathroom happy with the fresh feeling when you hear voices coming from down the hall in the living room.

“So she tried leaving?” You hear Tommy’s voice and the hum of another man. “Thought it would be easy for all of us. Think she’s still sleeping.” Joel’s voice calls out as you slowly creep down the hall looking through the doorway that enters the kitchen giving a clear view of the connecting kitchen and living room. Joel and Tommy sit on the couches in both men's hands a mug and you can see the steam coming off them.

“I’m glad you convinced her to stay,” Tommy says taking a sip of his drink, “You know she kinda reminds me of you. Not sure if that’s a good thing, you are a pain in my ass.” He says and Joel glares at him as Tommy cracks a grin. You don’t listen to more as you hear someone you assume Ellie come bounding down the stairs and you quickly retreat into your room as the conversation with the new edition becomes muffled. It was drawing near the time for breakfast at the mess hall, Ellie getting her shoes on as he made his way to the room at the end of the hall. Knocking before giving it a second before he enters. You sit on the edge of the bed, wrapping strips of fabric around your knuckles.

“We have bandages if you need them,” Joel comments on the homemade wrappings but you shake your head moving to wrap your other fist.

“I don’t need that.” You remark and the adult watches you struggle slightly to wrap it around your non-dominant hand. “Here let me hel-” He moves forward to grab your hand and you pull your hand back with a sharp look.

“I can do it.” You hiss and Joel takes a step back watching you slowly restart but after two failed tries he moves forward ignoring your protest grabbing the wrapping and doing it with ease around your knuckles. Glancing briefly up at you seeing you looking away your other hand digging into your pant leg your foot fidgeting. Finishing with the wrapping spotting a discoloration on your skin on your forearm but you quickly pull down your sleeve past your wrist.

“All done…” Joel says standing back up and you seem to relax the tension in your shoulders when he creates distance, “It’s close to breakfast so start getting ready.”

“You don’t need to make me breakfast,” You murmur fixing your sleeves on both arms, “I can do it myself.”

“Well we ain’t having breakfast here so get your shoes and coat,” Joel says and you stand up hearing this news. You didn’t want to go out there and see all of them. You rather be holed up in here until you could leave this place. “I’m not going.” You cross your arms and Joel throws you a look.

“That isn’t your decision, Tommy and Maria said you have to be there,” Joel says slowly growing frustrated mirroring your pose. They weren’t allowed to make those decisions they didn’t fucking own you. “Well, you can tell Maria and Tommy to fuck off.” You spit and Joel steps forward and you are ready for the screaming match.

“Hey!” “Joel!” The young voice of Ellie pops into the room hanging onto the doorframe looking between the two of you, “Hey! You joining us for breakfast?” Ellie says a look of excitement on her face.

“No.” “Yes.” You and Joel both speak at the same time glares thrown at each other.

“Great! Tommy and Maria are waiting outside.” Ellie takes Joel’s answer before she heads outside leaving the two of you. Joel and you stare at each other waiting for the other to break and it pisses you off seeing the lack of remorse or patience for you. Grabbing your coat and shoes from the end of your bed heading to the door not before slamming your shoulder into Joel’s.

“Little shit..” He whispers under his breath as he heads out to the entranceway spotting you finishing the laces on your boots before throwing the door open and heading outside.

“Finally. Hurry up I’m fucking starving.” Ellie calls out from the steps of the porch and you spot further behind her Maria and Tommy. You stiffen seeing the small child in the woman’s arm looking at you innocently. It made you uncomfortable seeing her hold that child so gently and with a small smile on her face in the presence of that infant. You felt sick.

“Glad to see you kid,” Tommy greets you as you keep staring at his child with wary eyes. He clears his throat getting your attention, “When we get to the mess hall you’re going to have to see Derek and the boys. I want you to apologize to them.”

“I’m not doing shit. They fucking started it! Why the hell should I apologize.” You scoff and the three adults give you a look.

“Look Derek is Seth’s son he runs the mess hall and the Tipsy Bison, just be the bigger person please,” Tommy pleads and you roll your eyes starting the unfortunate trip through the streets of Jackson. You walked between Tommy and Ellie your hands shoved in your pockets a bitter look on your face.

“They should fucking apologize to me for being dickbags.” You sneer, “Hey language.” The three adults say as you reach the main street. Burning eyes of people milling on the streets watching the girl that has been trouble since coming here. You see a group of older women standing together whispering to each other and glancing back at you.

“The fuck you starin' at?” You call out to them and they all give appalled looks as you walk past them Joel sighs and Tommy groans apologizing to the women on your behalf.

“What did I just say…” Tommy says and you glare at him, “You said to apologize to dickwads not the group of hags gossiping.” You spit and the man groans trying to prepare himself for when they reach the mess hall. You barred your teeth at people snarling at kids who looked at you run leaving before scared adults and some crying children.

“Jesus, you got half of Jackson either pissing their pants or running to their mothers,” Ellie comments seeing you death glare at two men who stare at you for too long for your liking.

“Just get to the damn hall,” Joel says sighing already fatigued by the trip here and how much of an impression you were doing for yourself. The hall was slowly filling with people coming for that morning rush. People get out of your way as the six of you enter, the friendly atmosphere dropping as they see you standing in the doorway. Finding a table you shove yourself in a seat far in the corner away from the glaring eyes of people. Ellie sits beside you followed by Joel, Tommy across from you, Maria next to him, and their son sitting in the woman’s lap. Tommy seems to scan the room before spotting what he wanted to find and turns back to you seeing you picking at the wood of the table.

“Stop that. Alright, Derek and the boys are over there I want you to go over and apologize. Keep it sweet and simple, avoid the language, a simple ‘I’m sorry’ and you’re fine.” Tommy points over to the table on the other side of the mess hall as you follow his finger before you spot them. Derek’s face is bruised with bandages on sections of his face, another one of them has their arm in a sling and a large split in their lip, and the other one has a fat bruise across his cheek. They looked like they got their ass handed to them, while you walked away with a cut on your temple, a split lip, and bruised knuckles.

“They looked fucked up,” You comment a small curl of your lip happy with the damage you did. They fucking deserved it for what they did. “Hey!” Tommy snaps his fingers drawing your attention back.

“Go over and apologize. We’ll grab food afterward. Just be yourself.” He says and you give him and look, “Actually be the opposite of yourself.” You scowl at him as he waits for you to move and you groan standing as your chair scrapes back shoving your hands in your pocket.

“Ellie make sure she doesn’t just insult them,” Joel says and the young girl nods standing joining you and you look at Tommy. Did you have to do this? The impatient look has you tilting your head back with a groan before you trudge your way across the room. You could feel the people’s gaze tracing after you their conversations growing quiet when you passed by them. Reaching the table you see the injured boys notice your presence as their conversation grows quiet as you stand before them Ellie a few feet away. Your attention was less focused on the others but mainly on Derek as he was apparently the guy who runs this place’s son.

“I…” Your hands curl up into fists as the words feel like lead in your mouth as you force them out, “I wanted to…apologize for my actions…it…it was wrong to hurt you.” You grit the words and you see the pleasure on Derek’s face knowing you were forced to say those words. Derek leans forward a smirk on his face, “And..” You feel your blood boil as your nails dig into your palms. It took everything in you to not grab his ugly mug and slam it into the table.

“And…I’m…I’m sorry.” The words grit through your teeth and he nods as he brings a hand to his chin.

“Sorry speak up, I didn’t hear what you said.” He holds a hand to his ear as the two idiots chuckle beside him enjoying the anger and the embarrassment on your face for having to apologize to them when you both knew you were justified to whoop their fucking asses.

“I’m…” “Speak up still can’t hear you.” Derek says and the boys chortle your nails digging deep into your palm, “I’m sorry.” You articulate the venom clearly in your tone as you’re forced to look at him as he takes in your words. You turn ready to head back to your table when he speaks up.

“Why don’t you come to the back and you can really show me how sorry you are.” He says smugly and you hear the snickers coming from his friends at what he was insinuating. You freeze and your eyes meet Ellie she couldn’t hear exactly what was said but saw the anger deep in your eyes before they moved to the table across the room with the adults watching the situation. Your gaze meets Tommy and his face morphs realizing what you’re about to do as the boy behind you speaks up, “Come up I’ll be sure to put that mouth to wor-” His head snaps back a large crack filling the air and you welcomed the pain in your already injured knuckles and seeing the blood freely falling from his rebroken nose.

“Eat shit.” You hiss quickly heading for the exit leaving the commotion behind you as the hall is quickly filled with shouting. Good job being the opposite of yourself.

Your back pressed against the boxes in your room as you sat in the corner. It felt like the only place you could hide and avoid the fight you knew was to come. You hear the door open and the heavy footsteps followed by the lighter ones but the heavy ones move towards your room. Joel opens the door at first not seeing you before spotting the tips of your shoes peeking from behind the tower of boxes. Moving until he sees you sitting against the wall your knees to your chest as you flex and unflex the hand you used to punch Derek.

“What the hell was that? What happened to apologizing and leaving.” Joel says crouching down to your level as your gaze is glued to the wall in front of you as you focus on the blood soaking the ‘bandages’, “Are you listening to me?”

“He wanted me to suck his dick.” You mumble and Joel grows silent sure he misheard you, “What?” He says and you don’t even glance at him, the lack of emotion in your voice as you sit huddled in the corner away from view.

“He said he wanted me to come to the back to show how ‘sorry’ I was. He was sure to put my mouth to-” “Stop.” Joel cuts you off before you can finish he feels disgusted hearing what was spoken to you. He wanted to go back to that mess hall and beat the crap out of that punk if that’s what he thinks about treating women. But the rational adult part knew that wasn’t the reason they brought you over to apologize.

“I’m sorry he said that. No man should talk to a lady like that.” Joel says and you scoff finally making eye contact with him though very briefly, “Like I’m a lady. Besides I’ve dealt with worse than some limp-dick teen.” He couldn’t help his mind run with slight concern, what was worse than what happened together that made this incident now insignificant? Joel stands looking down at the girl who continues to stare at the wall. It was moments he felt like two different people were in you; One was a ruthless girl who killed multiple adults twice your size and beat up three teens on her own, but the other was this timid girl who hid in corners and avoided care or help and was an insecure shell of a person.

“I think it’s best if you avoid the mess hall. Let this all simmer, I’m sure we have some leftovers to eat.” Joel says and you hum absentmindedly your gaze staring at the wallpaper that was beginning to peel in the corner. Joel looks at you one last time before retreating from your room finding the other Millers waiting on the couch for the information. Tommy felt like he was going to gain grey hairs too early from how much stress you put him through. The other brother sits up seeing the other enter the room seeing the exhausted look on his face as he rubs a hand on his beard.

“So what did she say, 'cause I don’t think Seth is going to accept a second time of her assaulting his son,” Tommy says as Joel leans against the wall rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He peeks around the corner trying to spot the younger girl who retreated upstairs to her room before turning to the couple.

“The kid…he had suggested some inappropriate actions as a form of forgiveness.” He felt sick saying it trying to be as PG as possible with the presence of the two-year-old in Maria’s arms. The looks of disgust and horror are clear on the two parents' faces as Tommy sighs pushing his hair back and Maria looks furious her motherly instincts reacting.

“I’ll speak to the council, though she shouldn’t have laid her hands on him. We don’t excuse harassment of any kind. Derek will be punished accordingly,” Maria says, and both brothers nod, “But so will Y/n for today and yesterday. Tommy and I spoke about this last night I think it’s best we get her to do some work for the community. It will keep her preoccupied instead of cooped up here, but for the safety of others until she grows more comfortable around others probably a job away that can be more secluded.” She explains and Joel nods. Ellie had her classes to keep her busy and if not if was hanging out with her friends. You technically didn’t need school so giving you work would keep you busy.

“What did you have in mind?”

#the last of us #tlou fanfiction #joel miller x teen!reader #joel miller x platonic!reader #joel miller x reader #joel miller #ellie williams x platonic!reader #ellie williams x teen!reader #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams #tommy miller x platonic!reader #tommy miller x reader #tommy miller

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 8 months

Text

Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Parallels

Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Word Count: 3.4K

Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, injuries, harsh language, motherly issues, tw: violence/abuse towards minors

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It wasn’t your fault your mom didn’t care for you but why couldn’t you care for me. We all have ways to cope, mine is taking pen to page, yours was needle to arm. I grieve for the girl you should’ve been...for the mom you could’ve been

A few days go by, with the only contact being Tommy to deliver you food though you barely stomach it. Ellie had stopped visiting probably Joel’s doing leaving you to the silence and your thoughts. It wasn’t until one day when both Maria and Tommy had arrived that you hadn’t expected them to open the door for you. You stared at the open cell taking a step out right as the door leading outside bursts open as two men struggle to bring in a thrashing and screaming man. He’s bloody clearly from a fight he lost, but his clothes are familiar, and when he made eye contact with you a surge of strength as he lunged for you.

“You murdering fucking cunt!” Snarls and insults hurled at you, words you’ve never heard of thrown at you. The two Jackson men reign him back in as Maria rests a gentle hand on your shoulder. You pull away harshly from the contact and Tommy leads you outside the community jail Maria following behind you. The sunlight blinds you stepping outside shielding your eyes slightly as the cold air sends a full body shake and you bring the coat closer around your body. What you didn’t expect was to see Joel leaning against a telephone pole a deep-set frown on his face.

“A patrol came back with him, they ran into raiders, said they were looking for what they described as a ruthless woman from a cabin,” Tommy explains and your blood runs cold. They weren’t kidding, these guys were actively hunting you down because you killed some of their guys.

“The reason we’re letting you out is we needed the room to question him. Now we’re relying on your trust you won’t try anything or we will find an alternative holding space.” Maria explains and you slowly nod looking at the two adults before you glance over at Joel who’s still watching you Maria notices, “So with that, you will be staying Joel.”

“What?!” “Tommy!” Both you and Joel speak at the same time, you don’t want to be near the man who has almost choked you and tried to break your arm. The man steps forward grabbing his brother’s collar,

“That wasn’t the fucking deal, you said to watch the kid but not her living with me.” He says as Tommy shakes his head,

“I had no choice, Joel you think I trust anyone else to watch after her? I would do it myself, but we got the baby.” Tommy says and Joel steps back with a curse on his lip.

“Hey, I’m not happy living with you either old man.” You spit and he gives you a look making a step toward you but Tommy steps between you two giving you both a look, “Please Joel.” He felt like he was dealing with two Joels. The stubbornness of his brother and he couldn’t ignore the eerily similar mannerisms you two had. Joel stares at his brother before he curses stepping back he looks over at you pointing,

“You try any shit, I’ll make you sleep outside.” He threatens and you cross your arms mumbling, “Probably better than being with your old ass.”

“I swear-” “Y/n!” Tommy gives you a look and you sigh rolling your eyes.

“I won’t try anything.” You promise as the two of you hold tense eye contact before he turns and heads down the street, and you look over at Tommy and Maria.

“Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be kid,” Tommy says and you scoff crossing your arms, “He fucking started it.” You say and the two adults sigh mentally preparing themselves for putting you and Joel together in the same house.

“Come on, let’s get you set up. I have some spare clothes that will fit you better than what Ellie has.” Maria says as the three of you leave the jail making your way to your new home.

You could feel the stares from people as you walk between Tommy and Maria, barring your teeth makes them scurry away or look away quickly and the two adults sigh at the feral behavior. You were like an animal asserting your dominance, a sign of ‘back of the fuck off’ coming off you. “Come on kid,” Tommy says as you turn down Rancher Street entering Joel and Ellie’s home. You hear the clink of the glass seeing Joel in the kitchen setting down his drink. A bottle of amber rests next to the glass in his hand, you freeze slightly seeing the liquid. The yelling of a woman as similar amber sloshes in the cracked glass, the liquor fueling the rage that always led to nothing well.

“kid…Kid?” Tommy’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts and you turn your gaze away from the man in the kitchen to the man beside you. “Let me show you the room you’ll be staying in.” Following behind Tommy your hands clutched to your pants hearing the liquid being poured before the glass slams back on the counter again. Tommy opens a door and you find Ellie inside moving things around. It looked to be used for miscellaneous things but those items were shoved in a corner, it looked swept up clean to have you stay in.

“I didn’t believe it when Joel said you were staying here! I tried cleaning it up as much, but we can get you stuff to make it your own, books, posters...” Ellie rambles as Tommy chuckles at the hyper girl speaking to the older one who silently takes in the room.

“Alright, Maria should be here soon with some clothes that will fit you better. Anything you might need just let us know, I’m sure someone in the community might have it.” Tommy says and you nod before Ellie races over grabbing your hand. Panic rushes through you as you rip it free from her grasp staring at her with wide eyes. Tommy and Ellie look at you slightly with pity in their eyes at the defensiveness in you.

“Sorry…come on I’ll give you a tour of the house, then I’ll show you the town, then there’s Dina and Jesse, oh and Cat you’ll like her.” Ellie rambles and you turn to Tommy who gestures for you to follow. Around the house, she shows off the living room and dining room, you stand in the entranceway of the kitchen as she opens cabinets and drawers explaining where everything is. You tune her out slightly your gaze focused on the bottle of amber the hair on your skin rising as you were entranced by it but not in awe but fear.

‘Fucking ungrateful brat’

“Okay let me show you upstairs.” Ellie’s voice makes you flinch slightly as she leads you upstairs. You’re silent your thoughts running wild, you hadn’t thought about her in years, as far as you were concerned she was the last thing that should be on your mind. You let the girl distract you as she shows you her room, the posters she explains Joel had found for her on patrols, the collection of comics that she promised to share with you, and the photos and sketches on a corkboard. “This is Joel’s workroom, he doesn’t like people in here same with his room…so I say just ignore it.” She points to two doors that are next to each other. Ellie let you know where both bathrooms were before the tour was over.

“Well this is home and there’s the garage. Joel’s thinking of making that another room said I could have my own space but is gonna wait until it’s warmer to start working on it,” Ellie explains as she grabs her coat and hat pulling them on, “Come on I’ll show some places in town.” Ellie swings her pack over her shoulder and opens the front door and there’s Joel almost as if he was waiting there to stop you two.

“Shit Joel trying to scare the crap outta me.” She jokes moving past him but the man remains silent looking at you. You knew a ruthless person when you saw one, you knew he did things he wasn’t proud of, the same with you but it was needed to survive. You knew he didn’t like you not an ounce of pleasure was it to have you under his roof.

“Give us a minute to talk kid,” Joel says and Ellie tries to retort but he steps inside closing the door and leaving the two of you alone. It’s silent before he speaks up, “To be frank I don’t like you. I don’t like you in my house, around my brother, with my kid. I’m only going to tell you this once, try anything and I mean anything that has you out of line. I won’t hesitate to do worse things than those Raiders would do if they had you.” His threat is not light and you knew he wasn’t bluffing. Though time had to soften him with Ellie and being in Jackson you brought back that darker side of him when he was younger and more ruthless.

“Are we clear?” He says and you nod silently and he grunts stepping aside and opening the door revealing Ellie waiting on the steps, “Be back in an hour no later.” He says as you step out joining the girl outside.

“Ready?” She says a wide grin on her face completely unaware of the threat her father had just given her. You nod and you both leave the home heading towards the main street. Your gaze darts around quickly taking in all the people of different ages around you, you hadn’t seen this many people not since you were younger. Most of it was spent alone traveling and fighting to survive. You feel each heated gaze and the whispers that follow and shackle you. Though you speak to no one as Ellie points at places explaining you felt drained and on edge, your hands are stuffed in your pockets as you follow beside her. Even though the girl was younger you felt like a child trailing after their sibling for their guidance.

“So there’s the mess hall, there you can have, breakfast, lunch, dinner, but sometimes we just cook at home if we have the time,” She points at the large building as people walk in and out of it. You remember this building running through it to escape Joel and Tommy. “Yeah that’s pretty much it, we should head back or Joel will tear us a new one,” Ellie says and you follow her as she claims she’s taking a shortcut through the back of the place, as you follow her you hear voices and the aggressive tone has you on edge. Ellie seems to notice the both of you turning the corner. You see a girl with dark brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and tan skin as she’s backed against the wall by three guys around your age.

“Hey back the fuck up!” Ellie calls out and the three boys and girl look over spotting the two of you as Ellie moves to stand in front of the girl protecting her.

“Aw, Dina you’re little girlfriend here to rescue you. What’s Jesse gonna say?” The boy in the middle says as Dina glares at him and Ellie’s face flushes at the comment but quickly hides behind a sharp look.

“Just leave her alone fuckface.” Ellie growls and the boys all chuckle at the presence of the sixteen-year-old tries trying to protect Dina who looks to be your age. “Come on Williams what you gonna do, go cry to Daddy and Momm- oh wait it’s just Daddy.” The middle boy says as the other two laugh and you see her stiffen hearing the comment about her mother.

“Just leave us alone, Derek,” Dina calls to the middle boy who shakes his head as he steps towards Ellie she bites her lip and you see her hands balled up in fists.

“No come on Williams, gonna go home and cry over Mommy.” He taunts and her face is bright red in anger you’re not sure how her anger transferred to you but your body reacted.

“Hey.” You call out and he turns right at the moment your fist slams into his nose and you feel it shatter under your knuckles as he grabs his broken nose. The four other teens look at you in shock kinda forgetting you were there until a complete fight broke out. One of the boys jumps at you their fist striking your cheek the metallic taste filling your mouth. You kick your foot striking him in the groin his hands grab his dick and your fist slams into his throat as he grabs it gasping for air and falling to the ground. A hand grabs your hair as your temple collides with the brick wall stars flashing your vision and they pull back to slam you into the wall again. Grabbing his wrist you twist yourself free until you feel a crack as his screams fill the air. A punch to his face brings him down as you barely dodge a blow to your lip feeling it split from the force. Seeing Derek with blood pouring down his nose fire in his eyes as he holds his fists up.

“You fucking bitch!” He hisses and blood coats your teeth as you grin more sliding down your temple and you bring your fists up waving at him to come at you. With a roar, he swings a fist and you dodge landing a shot right at his kidney. A sharp gasp from the sudden pain as his hands go to grab his side not able to block his face as you drive your fist forward. The punch brings him to the ground as you pin him down your fists slamming into his face and beating the crap out of him. You hear screaming as blood coats your hands that you don’t realize is coming from him. His fighting grows weaker but arms wrap around your waist and you’re pulled off the boy, your elbow driving back but another pair of hands stop you. You’re heaving air trying to catch your breath as the red clears from your vision and you suddenly take in your surroundings. A crowd surrounds you as multiple people surround the three boys looking at their injuries. They all had severe injuries as you tried fighting the arms holding you back. You see Maria hovering over Derek’s body a man beside her as he screams curses at you. You are pulled away from the aftermath of your fight around the corner you slam against a wall not trying to protect your head as you find yourself staring at a furious Joel holding your shoulders to the wall. Behind him is Tommy who paces his hands in his hair as he curses with each step, beside him are Ellie and Dina who are silent but Joel’s hand grabs your jaw making you look back at him.

“What the fuck did I say about ‘try anything and see what happens’ did you no fucking understand!” He roars in your face as you continue heaving blood pouring from your mouth staining your chin some blood almost gets in your eye and causes some hair to stick to your face. “Are you fucking listening to me!” He shakes your body.

“Get rid of me then.” You retort and he slams you further against the wall your head smacking against the brick again, “Is this a fucking joke to you!”

“Joel!” Tommy yells as the man still keeps a grip on you, “Fuck…just get her out of here, and you two better not lie about what happened.” Tommy turns looking at Dina and Ellie who nod in fear not used to seeing the man this angry, Joel yes but Tommy no.

“Get the fuck out of here. Now!” He says and Joel pulls you off the wall shoving you to walk as you move. You examine your split knuckles before using the back of your hand to wipe the blood off your chin spitting some excess pooling in your mouth on the ground as it stains the snow. The walk is tense as people watch the four of you head towards the Miller home. It had only been minutes since the fight ended but the news spread like wildfire in the close-knit community. Joel rips open the shoving you inside as you stumble catching yourself on the wall before you slam into it.

“Joel!” Ellie yells at the aggressiveness coming from the man, she knew he was pissed but enough to shove a kid around is where she drew the line. Gripping the corner of the wall as he moves past you reaching the kitchen and you hear the telltale sound of glass hitting the table and you’re frozen gripping the wall. You knew you were in Jackson but everything felt just like Kansas City.

“Fucking ungrateful brat!” She yells as the glass hits the table and you are surprised it didn’t shatter. A meek child clutches her scraped hands using the dirty sleeves of her shirt to wipe the stray tears wincing from the bruise on her eye. The ruined book at your feet. You had tried to get it from the small library only to run into the kids that bullied you and you quickly lost the fight which got Fedra involved. This caused her to be called away from whatever busy she was in to deal with this which leads us to now. The glass hits the counter again as you flinch. “You fucking pull me away 'cause you couldn’t handle a few fucking kids? Are you that pathetic!” She hisses. Your gaze moves to the wall not wanting to look into the kitchen. Just let her vent and then you’ll be alright. A hand grabs your arm almost ripping it from your socket and you're whipped around to face the woman who was going to murder you with how angry she was.

Your mother.

“Are you fucking listening to me? You’re so fucking stupid I swear why the fuck did I have a dumbass kid!” She yells and your eyes shut instinctively feeling her spit land on your face, the stench of nicotine and liquor fresh on her breath. She shoves you away and you hit the ground wincing from the pain, “Should’ve fed you to fucking infected,” She says pulling the bottle to her lips and you watch the amber liquid drain as you push yourself to stand with shaky limbs.

“Want me to feed you to infected, want mommy to let them rip you apart,” Tears flood your eyes as you shake your head begging her not to, “How ‘bout I leave you in the streets and let the sick bastards out there do whatever they want to you. They would like a young ten-year-old.” She says as you cry out more pleading for her not to kick you out. A sharp slap across your face and you feel your lip split.

“Stop fucking crying god it’s irritating.” She shouts and you bite your lip only making it bleed more to muffle your tears. She looks down at the child turning away, “Get the fuck out of my face. I don’t wanna see you at all tonight.” She shouts and you scurry off running to the small corner hidden behind the rotting couch away from her gaze.

“Are you listening to me!” A man’s voice yells out as you gasp for air your fingers dig into the wallpaper, and everything blurs around you. You weren’t hidden behind the couch to avoid her wrath but the feeling was still there but only with a different person.

“Y/n?” A hand grazes your shoulder and you book it down the hall barely avoiding Joel as he comes out the amber glass in his hand that sends panic through you. Your body slams into the door to your bedroom as you shut it behind you twisting the lock as you hear a fist bang on the door. Your hands grab the dresser pushing it forward until it blocks the door. The banging and the yell of your name only get louder. Covering your ears trying to drown it out, you felt the tears stinging your eyes biting your lip hard enough to bleed more to muffle the whimpers from coming out. Boxes are pilled along the wall giving a corner for you to hide behind. Hands against your ears trying to block out the sounds as you try to calm yourself down.

You’re not there anymore.

Kansas City is gone.

She’s gone. Stop crying.

Stop fucking crying!

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 8 months

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Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 2

Chapter Two: You Say You Are Holy

Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Word Count: 2.7K

Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, injuries

—————

You say you are holy, And that Because I have not seen you sin. Aye, but there are those Who see you sin, my friend.

Time seemed pointless, with the small window you could at least tell when the sun rose or set. You weren’t going to leave your dwindling hope died by the fourth day. Sat in that cell your only contact with the outdoors was random strangers who ran the place and brought you food that only ended with the food all over them as you screamed threats at them. Maria and Tommy felt like they were hit a dead end, you didn’t interact with anyone unless it was to scream and curse them out until they ran out of the jail with their tail between their legs. You seemed to be just getting started and the rumors had spread through Jackson of a crazed girl in their town jail. Many people urged the council to just kick her out of Jackson and end this madness but the fear of the raiders that have slowly gotten closer and closer to Jackson was the only reason they didn’t release the girl. Tommy had visited you multiple times whether it was to bring food or to speak with you but he was met with silence and he too soon fell victim to the food getting thrown at him.

Tommy sighs leaving the building the remnants of the cold chicken noodle soup still sticking to his once-clean clothes and pieces in his hair. Curses shaking his hair to try and get some of it out knowing he will have to go home and take a shower to get it all out. “New look.” Joel leaning against one of the post comments as his younger brother lets out a sarcastic laugh.

“Funny.” Tommy sighs not liking the smell of soup stuck to his body, “Be happy it was cold soup.” Joel comments and Tommy nods. When this first started they had made the mistake of bringing you hot soup. Poor William was able to protect his face but the burns on his arms were not great.

“Just don’t get it, she’s gotta understand the reasoning here.” Tommy sighs and Joel shakes his head.

“You have to stop treating her like she’s a guest. The reality is you have her here against her will. Drop the hospitality bit,” Joel says before producing an apple, “She doesn’t want a full meal she won’t get one.” He enters the jail ready to be the bad cop to Tommy’s good cop bit. Tommy waits outside before he hears a curse coming inside and Joel coming out his hand held over his eye a grimace in pain.

“She threw the apple at you,” Tommy says and Joel curses once more pulling his hand away revealing the quickly forming shiner from getting an apple chucked at his face. He had entered ready to put the fear of god in you but all he got was an apple to the face and some sharp curses thrown his way. “Little shit.” Joel curses when his fingers touch the quickly bruising skin being careful around his still sensitive nose when you had broken his nose when you escaped.

“Let her starve for all I care,” “Joel, this isn’t the QZ we aren’t animals. She is to be treated with some human respect.” Tommy retorts but knows he was right, he wasn’t sure how she was still alive. It was a real roulette on what days she silently accepted the meal and ate or what was getting tossed at someone. It was leaning on the latter and it was making him a bit nervous how you weren’t allowing yourself to eat. Tommy pinches his nose in frustration he didn’t know what to do with you, “I’ll talk to Maria there has to be something we can do.”

The cell was silent as you picked at the broken chunks of apple you chucked at Joel’s face. You found great pleasure as you kindly accepted it before it quickly was thrown at his face. Curses spit from both people before he stormed off in a rage. You were sure it was driving Tommy and Maria up the wall, you weren’t going to make it easy for them. They were keeping you here against your will and you weren’t going to sit all nice and polite waiting to be set free.

You hear the doors open as footsteps draw closer and you assume it’s Joel ready for round two. “I didn’t think you wanted another black eye you old fuck..” Your voice trails off expecting Joel or Tommy pretty much anyone except the young girl you fought when you first got here. The socket of her eye was black and blue but she doesn’t seem to mind the very large bruise. Her brown hair is pulled back in a ponytail a few hairs framing her face, the small scar going across her eyebrow, her clothes cleaner than yours and her size while yours was a mixture, with the pair of converse on her feet. The two of you are silent as she reaches into her back and you tense up before she pulls out two books and a smaller item. She tosses one of the books as it lands a bit in front of you. Looking at it silently as she flips open her beginning to read hers you lean forward seeing the graphic design on the cover, ‘Savage Starlight’ was the title.

“The hell is this?” You ask and she looks up at you through her similar one with the same title but the cover is a different design.

“It’s Savage Starlight..you know the comic.” She says and your silence has her keep talking, “You never heard of it, yeah know ‘Endure and Survive’ that Savage Starlight.” She deepens her voice when saying ‘Endure and Survive’ and you glare at the comic before you.

“Never fucking heard of it.” You retort and her eyes widen comically, “You have not lived then, best fucking comic ever.” Her hand reaches through the bar pointing at the comic in front of you, “This is the first one. The plot may be a bit confusing but it all makes sense when you read the second issue that dives into the backstory.” She scooches back leaning against the wall across from you flipping open her comic and beginning to read it.

“Why are you here?” You speak up after a minute of silence and she looks at you,

“Wanted to see if you were really as scary as everyone was saying, plus Joel told me to avoid seeing you but that only pushed me more.” She says before she grabs a small bag filled with tiny brown pieces grabbing one and popping it into her mouth. Holding the bag out for you, “Want one, they’re good.” You stare at the clear bag in her hand seeing the pieces of food and your stomach audibly growled. The girl smirks slightly and pours some pieces into her hand before putting them through the bars and you watch in shock. She had no fear interacting with you like this, you inch forward holding your dirty hand out as she pours the food into your palm before eating her own.

“Name’s Ellie.” She says eating another piece as you retreat to the wall looking at the food before grabbing a piece and putting it in your mouth. The sweetness hits your tongue instantly your eyes widen as it melts on your tongue and you quickly put another piece in your mouth to bring back the taste. Ellie watches the wonder in your eyes as you eat the food, “It’s chocolate. One of the people here makes some homemade, it’s like milk, sugar, and this bean called cocoa to give it that taste. People used to eat these all the time when things were normal.”

You nod finishing the chocolate the sweetness still on your tongue a pleasant food you wished to taste more of. You watch Ellie stuff her comic back into her pack and the empty bag of chocolate before she stands, “I’ll try to bring more next time.” She doesn’t move to take the comic as she moves towards the door, “Finish that one and I'll bring the second issue.” Her hand grabs the handle before you call out to her.

“Y/n!” She looks back at you as you sat up slightly, “My name is Y/n.” Ellie gives you a smile before leaving the room and you’re alone once more. You couldn’t describe the feeling in your chest, you weren’t sure you could remember the last time someone gave you something or was just generally kind to you. Looking at the still-untouched comic reaching forward grabbing it and beginning to read quickly pulled in by the plot.

Ellie was able to receive more chocolate the next day returning with the second issue as well and she gave it to you taking back the first one. You both ate the sweet in silence before she read her comic re-reading for probably the twentieth time. She noticed you didn’t read in front of her only watching her with cautious and sharp eyes but when she soon returned the next day you would be accepting the third issue. The conversations were one-sided Ellie happy to fill the silence by talking about anything and after multiple days of quiet, you soon were responding with one-word responses even going to a few sentences. You had learned she was sixteen and for her birthday Joel had taken her to a museum and she stood on a dinosaur, she was originally from Boston coming over here after some mission though she never told you what. She talked about Sally Ride and how she wanted to be an astronaut and see space, she would talk about comics all the time. Her vocabulary is filled with a curse every few sentences. Ellie after much time found out you were eighteen, from Kansas City, you didn’t explain how you got over here to Jackson. Those two small facts were held with the most security and though the young girl pressed for more about your likes and dislikes the things you were passionate about she was met with silence.

Ellie mainly led conversations droning on and on as you silently listened putting in your two cents every once and a while. An unlikely friendship. Well, Ellie said you two were friends but you didn’t agree or disagree with the label. You grew up not speaking to people especially ones your age for most of your life. It had been about three weeks soon pushing towards a month inside that cell and Tommy and Maria noticed to change in you. You still didn’t talk to them but when food was brought by someone there was no screaming or cursing or food getting thrown at them. They weren’t sure where this shift in attitude had come from but they weren’t going to reject this changed behavior though Joel was more skeptical of the motives behind it.

“So I’m thinking of leaves and a moth going down my arm it’s gonna look sick as fuck I can already picture it. I have this friend Cat, she does tattoos she’s got a whole bunch over her.” Ellie explains very enthusiastically speaking with her hands. You nod silently imagining as you watch the girl sketch away in a book her idea. “You ever think about getting one?” She asks glancing from the book and pencil in hand and you shake your head.

“I don’t think it would look good on me.” You shrug, the new clean clothes on your body feeling nice. They actually fit you, unlike the clothes you had stolen from places or crudely altered to fit your body. You were never more grateful for a shower though someone stood right outside the stall to make sure you didn’t try anything. But clean skin and detangled hair were a dream. The warm water was a savior for your tense muscles you would have stayed there for hours if you hadn’t been given a time limit.

“Nah you’d look badass. I can see you with them all down your arms, look sick as fuck.” Ellie leans against the metal and you shake your head at her absurd fantasy. She seems finished with her drawing sliding it through the bars so you can see and you scoot forward. Ellie had once started on the opposite side to soon be sat right beside the door to the cell. You had made slower progress getting about halfway to the door still hesitant.

“Like this! I gotta show Cat but she’ll touch up some things but this is gonna look so sick-shit!” Ellie yells as her head is pulled back and you sit up seeing the pain on the girl’s face.

“Crap my hair is stuck,” You look and she’s right, part of her ponytail was between the hinge of the rusted metal door, “It’s not that much but I don’t think you could pull it free…” You explain having a much better view than the girl who’s half-twisted.

“Just cut it needed a trim anyways.” She says her hands patting her pockets before pulling out the switchblade and holding it open for you. You stare at the weapon before slowly taking it in your hand. “Come on hurry I’m gonna get a crick in my neck.” She urges and you sigh taking the weapon and feeling the weight. It’s been weeks since you had the safety of a blade or gun in your hand to keep you protected.

“Just…don’t move.” You say before moving to the hinge where the hair was caught. Trying to figure out how to cut her hair free you start to bring the blade to her when the door slams open and you jump tightening your grip on the knife. Joel had only caught just a glimpse of Ellie on the ground a pained look on her face and the weapon in your hand before he bursted in.

“Ellie!” “Joel?!” The man rushes over and grabs the arm with the weapon pulling it forward so you slammed into the bars letting it go. He twists your arm as you cry out in pain your face pressed against the bars as you try scratching at his face. Trying to resist but he keeps twisting and you were certain he was going to break your arm. Ellie yells from the ground and your screeches alert Tommy and Maria who were about to come in with lunch finding the scene before them.

“Joel!” Tommy quickly pulls his brother away as you retreat further into the cell. Blood spills from your nose when you slammed into the bar. Clutching your throbbing arm your eyes frantic, adrenaline flooding your veins from the attack. “She had a knife! She was going to hurt Ellie!” Joel yells glaring at you as Tommy holds him back.

“She was helping me!” Ellie says to Joel, Maria frees her from the tangled section of her hair now shorter than the other. “She wasn’t going to hurt me!”

“You mean again! She’s dangerous what were you thinking!?” Joel now free from Tommy pulls the girl away from the cell being a block between you and the girl. The man doesn’t let the girl defend herself or you as he grabs the girl’s pack pulling her out of the room leaving Tommy and Maria to see the cold expression on your features.

“Kid..” “Get the fuck out.” You cut Tommy off as you find they make no action to leave, “Get the fuck out! Fucking leave! You fucking bastards fuck you!” You scream grabbing Ellie’s sketchbook and chucking it at them as they dodge it and you kick the remaining breakfast at them barely getting on their shoes, “Get out! Get the fuck out! Fucking leave!” The two rush out your screaming not ending until you are certain they are gone. Your blood boils but the air is thin as you struggle to catch your breath your body hitting the wall as you slide to the ground. Your nails dig into your palms not even registering the pain and the blood in your palms as you are left alone once more. The slow progress the girl had made was now lost.

#the last of us #tlou fanfiction #joel miller x platonic!reader #joel miller x teen!reader #joel miller x reader #joel miller #ellie williams x teen!reader #ellie williams x platonic!reader #ellie williams x reader #ellie x reader #ellie williams #tommy miller x platonic!reader #tommy miller x you #tommy miller x reader #tommy miller

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 8 months

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Where the Wild Things Are Series

Where the Wild Things Are - Series Masterlist

"I have nothing now but praise for my life. I'm not unhappy. I cry a lot because I miss people. They die and I can't stop them. They leave me and I love them more...What I dread is the isolation."

Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Word Count: 33.9K

Chapter One: Solitude

Chapter Two: You Say You Are Holy

Chapter Three: Parallels

Chapter Four: Snow Angel

Chapter Five: A Cold Death

Chapter Six: Cigarette Burns

Chapter Seven: Haunted Memories

Chapter Eight: Because of You

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 8 months

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Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 1

Chapter One: Solitude

Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Word Count: 6.7K

Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, injuries, blood and gore

—————

Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone; For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth, But has trouble enough of its own …

The northern winds were unforgiving to the open area abandoned of life, well the whole world was abandoned from life following the Outbreak. Cordyceps that destroyed the world in a matter of hours, though you weren’t there on Outbreak day you had dealt with your fair share of infected. But the secluded area you had found and claimed as yours didn’t give much of the fungi-humans. Sure there were the stray infected that came from the distance but they dead, sniped from a distance before they could get anywhere close to your home. It wasn’t the infected you needed to worry about when you were truly far away from populated areas for cordyceps to spread…it was the people that would think like you. And that’s what you were worried about and it seemed like your luck in this remote area had finally run out.

Your last hunt tied to your pack your rifle slung over your shoulder as you make your way through the snow to the cabin. Two rabbits that you were glad to find in your traps, it would have been great to have deer. Just a few hours ago a herd of deer had come through here and you had wished you could find their location but you had to settle for the rabbit for dinner. Coming over the small hillside, the path from the thicker forest and home was so routine that you could do it with your eyes closed. Seeing the snow-capped cabin appear you smile under the scarf covering the lower half of your face, you can’t wait to be inside and warm by the fireplace. The horses outside your home have you frozen as you swing your rifle into your hands instantly on edge and wary. You were so stupid to look after your tracks, did someone see you when you were hunting and followed your trail back? They couldn’t have you switch hunting locations every day and the different trails back would confuse anyone who does not know the area. Drawing closer to your home and see only two horses tied to the fencing as they mull around giving you no attention. Circling the home to avoid the front door in case they are camping right there to blow your head off. Finding the back door silently creaking it open as your breath is silent and footsteps non-existence after years of learning to become invisible. You can hear things being moved around as you creep into your own home. Your rifle aimed at the doors you knew you had closed now open checking to make sure no one is hiding in them. The bedroom door swings open and you press yourself against the wall as you watch a man with his rifle slung over his shoulder come out and turn in the direction leading to the living room. Before he could get a step down the hall the cool metal pressed against his back has him frozen.

“Slowly slide the rifle off your shoulder,” You growl and he slowly raises his hands and he lets the rifle slide off his shoulder and hit the ground.

“Tommy? Everything alright?” A man’s voice calls out and you press the barrel of your rifle into Tommy’s back.

“Walk.” You order as he keeps his hands raised and walks out towards the living room and you hear footsteps of the other man.

“Tommy? Did you hear what I sa-” “Keep your hands where I can see them or your buddy here gets it.” You say as you look at a younger man as he freezes with his rifle in his hand.

“Tomm-” “Jesse do as they say.” Tommy cuts off Jesse as the younger man nods.

“Rifle against the wall, finger off the trigger.” You say as Jesse slowly rests the rifle against the wall by the front door, “Same with the pistol and knife,” You say as he pulls the two both slowly out of his holsters and places them on the small table next to the door. “Sit.” You point at the couch in front of you and he slowly walks over there and takes a seat. One still holding the rifle you bring the other to the holster on the back of Tommy’s jeans pulling out the revolver opening the chamber emptying the bullets as they hit the floor, then you grab the hunting knife in his front pocket and put it in yours. Shoving the gun to his back to get him to move he too joins the younger boy on the couch the two with their hands up now defenseless with no weapons even their packs away from them. You could see both of their features, the older of the two with long black hair that was slightly pushed back from his face, and a decent mustache on his face, the younger boy with shaggy black hair as well that was hidden under a hat. They looked well fed while you had barely gotten by with the rations you have and the hunting. Their clothes as well looked clean, dusted with snow, but catered for their bodies while you wore a mismatch of different gendered clothes that you had to alter to adjust to yourself.

“Are there others with you two?” You ask your rifle aimed at the two as they look at you, they couldn’t see your features, a hat covers your hair, and the lower half of your face is hidden underneath the scarf that slightly muffles your voice but it’s filled with venom and lacks any hesitation to put a bullet in each of their heads.

“It’s just us,” The older man, Tommy speaks for the two, “We’re part of a community, lots of people, we have food, power, safety, if you want to come-”

“I’m not going fucking anywhere.” You say harshly your weapon more focused on the older man as he raises his hands higher to show he’s not going to try anything, “Does anyone else know about this place?” You demand and Tommy shakes his head.

“Only us, look we’ll get out of here and you’ll never see us again.” The man says and your silence only lets them brew with many questions and fears the main one being, are there leaving here alive? You should just kill them and end the discussion, how could you trust them that they weren’t going to come back? You would have to fucking leave and start all over again. You could head more north, hit Canada, and start over there. Your finger rests on the trigger as you stare at Tommy and you curse under your breath for what you were about to do.

“Get up.” You order as the two men stand and you usher them towards the front door that brings you out to the porch the sunset streaming an orange glow against the untouched snow. “If I see any of you or any of your people I won’t hesitate to fucking kill you.” You threaten as the men move to their horses, grabbing the hunting knife that was the man from your back pocket and chucking it as it lands in the snow before them.

“Best get moving, you don’t wanna be out in the dark here.” A mixture of a threat and advice as Tommy moves forward picking up the lone knife that is meant to protect the two men as they saddle up. Your weapon is still trained on the two as they take off and you make sure they are past the ridge waiting out there a full five minutes. You even climbed the hill rifle in hand expecting them to be waiting there to take you down but, you saw nothing but the tracks leading away and the empty plains and forest surrounding you.

Closing and locking the door you collect the new weapons resting your rifle on the coffee table as you take into account the equipment. They were of much better quality than the hunting rifle you called yours. It was here when you stumbled upon this place used to kill the previous owner you assumed he was tired of living in this fucked up world and wanted the easy way out. Your nerves felt heightened with that interaction, you can’t even remember the last time you saw a person though infected don’t count. Someone that speaks and has thoughts but can be manipulative and kill you if you let your guard down.

The night is eerie as you eat one of the rabbits the other gutted and strung to preserve for your next meal and use the fur for other uses. The rifle laid across your lap as you eye the front door, the back door of the home now barricaded by the old heavy bookshelf you pushed down the hall to block it. You hadn’t felt this on guard in months and maybe this is why people had appeared in your small sanctuary. You would rather deal with infected showing up here than actual people. Sleep wasn’t going to come to you your nerves were shot and the adrenaline from early kept you awake. Sitting on the couch silently waiting to take down whoever might try to get you until your lids grew heavy and your head slumped over sleep taking over.

The people of Jackson especially those who were close and dear to the Miller brother and the family and friends of the younger boy Jesse waited anxiously for their return. They were meant to return before sunset now dark and the older Miller brother paces the gate where he watched his brother leave. Joel was ready to steal a horse and go out and look for Tommy but here he was being stopped by his sister-in-law and his surrogate daughter.

“Jesse and him are alright Joel, there has to be a reason for them to be held back.” Maria tries to calm the quickly growing anxious brother her being better at hiding her fears of the location of her husband and the father of their child.

“They should have been here hours ago. Before sunset he said, it’s been three hours past that!” Joel didn’t mean to raise his voice but the nerves and fear of losing another member of his family to great for him. His hand clutches his watch the memories associated with it his only reminder of what he lost. Maria rests a hand on the man’s shoulder,

“He’ll be alright Joel, have faith in them. If they aren’t back in another hour I won’t stop you from going off and looking for him.” The leader of the community offers and the older man nods but before he can start coming up with a gameplan someone from the watch towers of the large gates calls out.

“They’re back!” Joel felt a sigh of relief leave his body and he could even see the woman release her own tension. He watches the gates open as the two men enter the town Joel instantly notices the lost weapons and their packs gone. He and Maria go over to Tommy as he slides off the horse letting it be taken away by a stablehand and Jesse is greeted by Ellie and one of her friends, Dina.

Maria hugs her husband her hands cupping the man’s face looking for any injuries, “Are you alright? What took you both so long.” She asks as Joel looks over his brother and he could see the thoughts running through his head.

“What did you see Tommy?” Joel asks and Tommy looks over at his brother and his hand reaches for the knife he was given.

“There’s someone out there!” Jesse says coming over to Ellie and Dina not far behind. Tommy gives the younger boy a look before sighing and nodding, “We were doing the normal patrols checking the towers and went a bit further and we found a cabin. Thought it was going to be deserted, maybe find some supplies or anything but it seemed we stumbled on someone’s home.” Tommy explains and Maria looks more frantically for any injuries but he waves her off.

“We’re fine, they only took our weapons and packs. Could have killed us but they let us go.” Tommy explains he could picture your eyes cold and expressive, but they seemed young but harden by the world around them all.

“So we go after them, we kick that guy��s ass, and get the gear back!” Ellie says and Tommy shakes his head same with his brother who gives a quick scold of her name.

“Told us if anyone of us shows up there again they wouldn’t hesitate to kill us, we just leave it. They stay where they are we keep away and that’s final.” Tommy explains and Maria nods.

“Come on it’s been a very stimulating day. I will let the council know of this so we can avoid that location on patrols.” Maria says and the people bid their goodnights as Jesse is brought home with his family Dina following with as the Millers plus Ellie stay together.

Joel looks over at his brother seeing the conflict in his eyes, “You alright there Tommy?” The man perks up before slowly nodding,

“Yeah...you know I offered them to come here…a lot safer than being out there all alone,” The man sighs scratching his cheek, “They said they were better off there.”

Joel nods patting his brother’s shoulder as they make their way to their respective homes, “Maybe it was for the best.” Tommy nods his hand grasping the hunting knife just remembering those eyes. He couldn’t shake the familiar feeling off them.

“Maybe..”

Weeks passed the winter was harsh for the people of Jackson but with the heated water and the power that was put through the community, they would push through. Both Miller brothers saddle up for their patrol ready to check on the communication towers with the large amount of snow that had come down on them this past week they needed to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary. On their horses just waiting for the earlier patrol to arrive so they can head off. Tommy and Joel turn to the gates as Jesse and William his most current pairing for patrols come flying in on horses.

“Tommy!”

Jesse yells coming beside the man on his horse, “I know you said to avoid the cabin and we did,” Jesse says trying to catch his breath as the older man tries to start scolding him when he heard about the cabin, “But from one of the trails you can see straight at it and it’s just cover in smoke…and there was blood everywhere.”

The four men went off after Jesse and William had cleared they were good to head out again and show them as the four horses raced through the snow, Tommy wasn’t sure why he was so nervous. You were a complete stranger, one that did almost kill them when they first met. But it was this gut feeling he couldn’t ignore as they reached the ridge and he sees the cabin, part of it has thick black smoke though it looks like nothing was on fire anymore.

“Stay alert,” Tommy warns all of them with their rifles or pistols as they depart from the horses. Moving towards the house the front porch steps is drenched in blood and the snow around it from the man dead on the steps a bullet obliterating his skull. Looking at the three other men signaling Jesse and William to check the back as he and Joel enter through the front. Once the two men disappeared around the wall he turns to his brother as the two stood on opposite sides of the door before they enter. The stench of death and the burning smell. Part of the roof was caved in smoking planks of wood leaving an open hole in the ceiling. They had to immediately climb over a body that is slumped over at a hatchet embedded in the man’s chest. The place was in a state of disaster a clear fight took place there. Furniture flipped, blood, and bulletholes everywhere. The couch Tommy remembers sitting at is flipped over and a man laying half on it and there are multiple stab wounds to his neck and chest area. A wheeze fills the air and the two men turn their weapons finding a woman against one of the walls her face sweaty from the clear blood loss she sustained from the knife still in her chest. Her eyes glazed over blood spilling freely from her mouth, “f…fuck..ing an..animal..” Her final words as she slumps over and the two men look more cautious. There’s no way you did all this. A thump comes from the bedroom as they turn to face the hallway, seeing the backdoor blocked by the large bookcase. Moving down checking each of the rooms leading there the violence only grew more. In the bathroom, a man lies in a puddle of blood his face caved in from the porcelain sink that is broken around him. Standing in front of the bedroom door Joel’s hand grabs the handle counting before pushing it open. He’s lucky he didn’t walk straight in as a bullet fires splintering the door and the wall between the two men.

“Fuck..” A very feminine voice groans as an item is dropped and the two men enter finding the destruction of the room. Two bodies are dead one at the foot of the bed and the other on the bed his blood soaking the sheets. On the floor in the corner with a clear shot to whoever enters the room. Tommy hadn’t known what his almost killer plus savior had looked like, everything was hidden by heavy winter clothes, and the only thing to show were your eyes and parts of your brows. He had truly thought you were a man. But with minimal layers, this fight probably happened when you were home, he’s staring at a girl…a very young girl for the fact. But also the fact he thought he was staring at a carbon copy of the man beside him looking exactly in shock and confusion as his brother.

You see two men before you one you recognize as the man you let go, Trevor or whatever the fuck his name was. The other next to him you’ve never seen but the two did look like similar brothers maybe. The revolver is aimed at the Travis guy you do know and you see the older man raise his rifle at you while the man with the gun pointed at him makes no move with his own. “I fucking told you I would kill you if I saw you again.” You hiss trying to shift your weight letting a hiss from the burning pain in your side. Thomas looks down at your side and sees your hand pressed against it blood soaking the fabric.

“You’re hurt.” He takes a step forward and your finger rests on the trigger while the other man has a clear shot at you, “Drop the gun girl.” The older man hisses and you barely glance at him as you speak.

“You’re in my fucking house dickwad don’t tell me shit.” You say before you open the chamber showing there are no bullets left, “If you’re here to get your shit back, it’s all gone or used to kill this fuckers.” You wave the empty gun to show the damaged room and the two bodies that are with you.

“Like I said before, get the fuck out of here and let me die in peace. Better yet toss me a bullet and let me finish the job.” You spat leaning your head back against the wall, waiting to hear them leave or maybe give you a way to bite the bullet. A sudden rise in pain as a pair of hands clutch your wound and your eyes widen as you look at Tristian put his hands on your wound with what looks like actual bandages.

“What the fuck?! Get…the fuck…of me!” You hiss trying to push him off as he only puts more pressure on your wound. “Should’ve fucking…killed you!”

“Shut up, tryin’ save your damn life.” He says as you glare right back at him, “Joel get the horses she’s coming back to Jackson.”

“No, I’m not!” “Tommy?!” You and this Joel guy yell at the same time as Tommy continues putting pressure on your wound as you struggle more against him, “How do you know if she’s not infected?”

“Do I look fucking infected dumbass?” You say and the man glares at you, “Watch your mouth kid.” Joel glares at you and you glare right back.

“Suck my dic-” “Hey!”

Tommy yells silencing the two of you. “You’re fucking bleeding from your side, so it’s either we leave you and maybe the guys you killed have buddies that come after you and you figure out if you can take them,” He says giving you a look, “Or you can come back to Jackson and stay alive. Your choice.” Tommy looks at you as you’re silent.

“Get the fucking horse, Joel.” You spat and Tommy sighs in relief as the older man glares at you, “You don’t tell me shit.” “Think I just fucking did.”

“Jesus Christ! Stop talking either of you,” Tommy says shutting you both up as your glares both enough to kill the other if looks could kill, “Joel please get the horses.” The man gives one last look before heading out of the room. Tommy looks back at you looking at your wound. You would get better treatment when they return but this would be the best he could give you. Tommy helps you to your feet and you groan in pain your hand pressing to your stomach he has one of your arms thrown over his shoulder as he starts leading you out of the room.

You’re semi-dressed for the weather not as good as he would like it but he grabbed a coat by the doorway slinging it over your shoulders to give you some warmth. The frigid air and brightness of the snow reflect off the snow as you move past the body at the doorway and the steps seeing the four horses as Joel holds two of them and two other men are standing there one you recognize from before as he watches you.

“The fuck you looking at.” You growl as the boy and the man snaps their gaze away from you as Tommy curses under his breath.

“Maria’s gonna kill me.” He could already think of the fight that is going to happen when he gets back. They already had to deal with Ellie and the sailor of a mouth she has plus the intensity of Joel but it seemed like you were both of them put together and then times that by twenty. Reaching the horse Tommy climbs on first before reaching for your free hand as he pulls you up as you groan in pain your teeth grinding trying to muffle your sounds of pain. You felt breathless and out of energy from just that, Tommy has one hold of your arm to his front while your other holds your wound. “Alright let’s go!” He yells and the horses take off as your face presses against his back trying to focus on your breathing. In for five…hold for four…out for five. Repeat. It was the only thing you could focus on as the world around you blurred. Leaving your destroyed sanctuary behind to wherever Jackson is.

The ride is intense each bump in the road makes you grip the man’s hand hard as a flash of white light covers your vision. You weren’t sure how long you were awake or did you daze, until you found hear Tommy in front of your speaking but everything sounded underwater. “The gates are just ahead kid. Hold out just a bit.”

A garble of words is slurred back to him as he spurs the horse faster and he squeezes your hand in reassurance though he only feels your cold ungloved hand. They reach the gates as they open, Jesse, William, and Joel coming off their horses quickly while Tommy slows down. “We’re here kid, you’re gonna be alright.” He says when he feels your grip on his hand weaken before he turns seeing you slipping off the horse your eyes rolled back.

“Joel!” He yells to his brother grabbing your shirt to try to stop your fall but your sleeve rips. His brother comes at the right moment to catch the top half of your body and the two of you hit the ground your head protected from the ground. Tommy is off the horse before the two of you as Maria and others quickly join seeing the patrol returned with an addition.

“Christ Tommy. What the hell did you do?!” Maria yells as her husband presses his hands onto your side as he shouts out for the town doctor. “I’ll explain everything once she’s tended to.” He says and he sees your eyes slowly flutter open and he’s drawn back to you.

“Hey, kid keep those eyes open. I’m getting you help. Just need you awake..umm, tell me the year? You got a name kid?” He promises as you look at him in pain as he waits for a name. “bite…me.” You say before darkness quickly takes over as you hear a final curse.

You felt rested which was weird and the pain in your side was less of a constant screaming pain to a dull feeling. Shifting feeling the slight comfort of a mattress as you slowly blink your eyes open and you hear shuffling coming from the other side of the room. What looks like a younger-looking lady as she goes through cabinets before she comes over to a metal tray in her hand she places it on a small medical table she doesn’t seem to notice your conscious staring. Where the fuck were you…you remember the cabin..the fight...then it was a blur you remember voices and someone holding you but you weren’t sure what was real or not. You see the lady pick up a needle filling it with something and she turns away from the briefest of seconds and you strike. Snatching the metal tray you swing it as it collides with her head and she drops to the ground. Moving off the bed you bring your hand to your shirt lifting it and see a clean bandage covering your side instead of the old cloth ones you were forced to work with. A groan from the injured woman makes you move. Reaching the doorway you snatch the coat off the rack and the cold air sends a shiver down your body. Slipping your arms in the thicker coat flipping the hood over your head. Taking in your surroundings seeing people milling about though you avoid their gazes. You take in the streets, no run-down buildings…or ration lines. This wasn’t the QZ this didn’t even look like a Fedra run area. You almost stopped to take in the large pine tree covered in lights of a collage of colors and the top of a large star. What the hell was this place?

“What do you mean she got out?” A voice yells out and you quickly lean against a wall to make yourself unnoticeable. From your peripheral, you could see two men walking frantically down the street as they stop a bit before you.

“Look Claire said she wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon, and I was going to ask Jesse to keep an eye on her. Didn’t expect her to wake up and give the poor girl a concussion!” The familiar voice says as you see the man with long black hair rack his fingers through the tendrils in stress. The other man with shorter brown hair that was greying and a salt-and-pepper beard. His hands are on his hips as he shakes his head.

“Okay we watch the gates, she would only head for the exits if she plans on running. Have everyone on the alert, we don’t know if she might try to cause harm to anyone here.” The man says,

“Joel she’s a kid, not some rabid animal.” The younger man says and the older one, Joel crosses his arms with a glare on his face, “Tommy you saw that cabin, she did that herself and already seems to be proving us right.” Joel says and you try moving past them just act casual and keep heading down the main road. If you can get to a gate before they can spread the news you’ll be home free.

You had only made the mistake of glancing back at the pair making direct eye contact with Joel as he is mid-sentence before he stops his eyes widened seeing you staring back at him a few feet away from him. You’re just a few seconds short of dodging him as a strong hand grips your wrist before you can run. Your hand whips out a large crack filling the air as it makes contact with his face. Joel stumbles back clutching his nose with a curse as you dart, racing through the streets shoving past people as they yell at your retreating figure and you can hear the chase behind you. Sprinting into what looks like a hall, multiple pairs of eyes meeting yours as you bust through the doors looking like a madman before sprinting towards the large double doors that lead to the kitchen. You hear the doors open as Tommy and Joel yell at you to stop. The kitchen is busy as you shove past people looking back and seeing the two in the room with you. Seeing a tower of crates filled with plates. You grab them pulling them as you run past they crash to the floor stopping the two men in their tracks. Seeing the emergency exit sign you break through reaching outside as you sprint through the snow-filled streets. Lungs on fire, your side burning as you slide in the snow picking yourself up as you turn the corner and see the sign Rancher Street. Spotting the first house you see sprinting up the porch your hand grabs the door ready to break it down when it swings open as you tumble inside. Slamming the door behind you catching your breath as you survey the home. It looks like a normal home, clean but cluttered showing it was lived in. Your mind already running on the ruthless fighter side you had to protect all these years.

“Joel?” A girl’s voice calls out from upstairs as you freeze, “You home already old man.” The sarcasm in her voice as you see a girl bound down the stairs expecting the gruff older man but sees a girl slightly older still covered in blood and grime. The two of you stare at each other and her hand slowly moves to her pocket but you strike first. Your fist slams against her face stars filling the girl’s eyes as she pulls out the switchblade trying to stab at you but you grab her wrist as she pushes forward with a yell. The blade slashes out catching you in your face as the two of you collide against a table it moving with force. She puts her weight as she tries to bring the knife through your chest it digging into your skin and gritting your teeth in pain, Holding her back with one hand the other scrambles behind you, your fingers brushing against a glass vase curling around it and slamming it against the girl’s face. She cries out pulling back as the shards create scratches as you tackle her to the ground she lets out a gasp the wind knocked out. Seizing the weapon a struggle as the roles are reversed and the blade inches closer to her neck.

The main door kicks open and Joel and Tommy heard a scream coming from down the street from his own home. Rage fills the older man seeing the stranger pinning down his injured daughter with a knife dangerously close to her. Grabbing you by the hair ripping an animalistic shriek as he throws you into the wall. The knife flies from your hand when you hit the corner of the wall, your back seizes and you feel a rip in your side. A hand grabs your throat pulling you to stand as you try to fight back but your legs are pinned the same with your arms held in his tight grasp that would bruise in his free hand that is choking you out.

“Joel!” The two voices behind him yell out as he pins this teen to the wall ready to finish her off for daring to assault Ellie. “Joel stop I’m fine!” The younger girl calls out despite the scrapes and quickly forming bruises but was more worried about the man choking the life out of the girl.

“Joel.” Tommy's warning voice as the red filter in front of him begins to fade as he’s left staring at a young girl her teeth barred her face slightly red from the lack of oxygen. He steps back and you drop to the ground gasping for air your hand lightly touches your throat. Your other hand lifts your shirt cursing under your breath seeing the popped stitches bleeding through the bandage. “Up kid.” You hear Tommy say as you glare at him before spitting at his feet. The man sighs as the door opens revealing there are two more men. Your body reacts trying to run but Joel still bleeding from the nose but which had started to clot up grabs you by the arm as the two men grab you by each arm.

“Fuck you.” You snarl as you thrash in the men’s arms as they pull you out of the house, people from other houses family of all ages watch the event as you bare your teeth at them as they pull their children closer to them in fear. You are silent letting them force walk slash drag you to what you find out is their town jail.

The place was empty probably not needing any use until now, you’re thrown into a cell as the door close. There’s a concrete bench/bed built into the wall and nothing else as you shove yourself into a corner giving them no other way to come at you. The only passage of time is the small window high up on the wall and the bleeding from your side that was once a spilling red to now clotted up with the bandage. The small wound on your chest had stopped bleeding and didn’t need any treatment. They didn’t seem to think to leave someone to watch confident nothing would happen and you had to admit they were right. No amount of jumping for the window that you knew you couldn’t squeeze your body through or shaking the metal door hoping it was not fully locked. The cold room comforted you as you picked at the blood and dirt from under your nails when you heard the sound of footsteps.

Looking up seeing Tommy leaning against the back wall and a woman with dark skin pulls up a chair from the wall and takes a seat. Folding her hands in front of her as she looks at you seeing the cut on your face from the girl’s knife and the quickly forming bruise around your neck. “You’re lucky Joel didn’t shoot you back there.” The woman says and you roll your eyes looking away from her.

“Yeah let me go thank him for almost suffocating me instead of shooting me.” You spat before leaning, “Here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna open this cell and fuck off.”

“You don’t get to make the decision here.” You shot up grabbing the bars your face pressed against the bars.

“Open this fucking door!” The bars rattle with your pulling as the woman makes no reaction to the murderous look on your face.

“Did you tell anyone about us?” She says as you push back, “Fuck you.”

“You’re just increasing your stay here with the backtalk. Now did you tell anyone about this place?” The woman questions.

“I didn’t tell anyone shit! There’s fucking no one to tell.” You yell throwing your hands up in the air as she watches you before speaking up again.

“How old are you,” “85.” You say not to give up any information as she gives you a look.

“What’s your name?” “Princess fucking Diana.” You spat and she smirks as she leans back crossing her arms.

“How about this, you tell me what I want to know, and I’ll tell you what you need to know,” She offers as you lean against the wall across from her. “Okay, my name is Maria Miller, and this is my husband Tommy.” She points to Tommy who is behind her. “Now you. What’s your name?” You’re silent before offering your name,

“Y/n.”

Maria nods, glad to at least get something, “Nice to meet you Y/n. How long have you been living in that cabin?”

You shrug flexing the bruised knuckles from your fight earlier, “ I don’t know…’bout a year now. Now you answer my questions.” She shakes her head,

“I only have one last question. You have absolutely no one going to look for you. No parents…family..anyone that might be coming for you.” She says and she notices the sudden frown that appears on your face and the loss of snark and bite at the mention of parents. It was the small crack in the harsh mask you put it but the topic seemed to strike hard and strike deep.

“No.” Your voice is rough your body still your hands balled in fists, “No one’s coming.” Your gaze avoidant you felt uncomfortable and embarrassed as if the truth of a lack of parents would make the older woman laugh at you. It made your skin crawl with how easily it affected you feeling the little girl crawling to come out but you shove it away the harsh look covers your face. “Can I ask my fucking questions now?” You ask and Maria nods waving her hand for you to speak.

“Why did you even bring me? Let me leave. I didn’t ask for your fucking help. You don’t even have to give me anything just let me go back to the cabin and you’ll never see me again.” You say, just have them point you in the direction of your home and you’ll make it on foot. You felt uneasy here, these people were clean and fed, and they looked normal, unlike yourself and the people you’ve seen in your lifetime. Maria is silent before she sighs shaking her head,

“I can’t do that.” You step close to the bars as she speaks, “Those raiders are part of a larger group, they’ve probably been following you for days before they decided to strike. Coming here there is the possibility they might come after you in revenge. You already know too much about Jackson and we can’t risk you revealing anything about this place.” She stands as your hands grasp the bars.

“None of them are gonna come after me! I told you what you wanted to know! Let me the fuck out!” You yell as she looks at you the rage written across your face, “You fucking told me you’d let me go!” Maria moves towards the door her husband following behind her as you shake the bars screaming at them, “You fucking bastards! Let me out of here! You can’t fucking do this! Let me go! Fucking let me go!” The two leave as you move back against the corner sliding down to the ground, holding your head in your hands.

Your luck had run out and you had no idea what you were going to do to get out of this one.

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 9 months

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I've been reading the clan of three clan of three basically since it started and you've done an amazing job at writing this series and I'm happy the way it ends!!!!

aww, thank you so much! so glad you've been there since the beginning 💙💙

#clan of three #clan of three series

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 9 months

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Cries cuz clan of three series is over like it was so amazing well written 😭I love it sm aslo i heard mandolorain might have season 4 just wondering if u plan to s4 when it comes out?

ahhh I knew this ending would lead to a reaction! I'm so glad you enjoyed this series and yes! I plan to continue this series when season 4 comes out and also for the possible Mando-verse film we are getting. You are not seeing the last of these characters.

BUT! While we wait I am in the works of our good mc involved in the sequels with maybe a cocky pilot of the Resistance. And who knows maybe we'll see Din and Grogu again sooner than we expected.

#clan of three #clan of three series

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 9 months

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Clan of Three - Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two: Clan of Three

Plot: A Mandalorian, an infant with a history of the jedi, and a teenager with similar powers and a heavy role to bear. Now reunited their journeys across the galaxy are just beginning to complete their final mission.

Word Count: 7.3K

Pairing: Father Figure!Din Djarin x Platonic!Teen!Reader

Warnings: fighting/violence, massive injuries, some wholesome moments, sad as fuck father-daughter moments, massive angst, PTSD

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“We shall be rid of the Mandalorians once and for all,” Gideon turns around looking at his fellow warlords, “Long Live the Empire!”

“It is time to retake our home world….I need volunteers from both tribes.”

“I will go.” “I will go.” “I will go.” “I will go.”

“Is that the voice of Lady Bo-Katan Kryze?”

“We knew you would not forsake us, Lady Bo-Katan. We have failed you, but our blasters remain in your service.” They lower their heads slightly bringing a hand to rest over their hearts.

“I will only wear a dress on Naboo. I was told that it’s the most beautiful planet in the galaxy. And there are lakes and waterfalls and fields of flowers and planets as far as the eyes can see. So if you want me to wear a dress it has to be on Naboo.”

“Look, I have no idea what that boy’s intentions are, but…I do know that he would be lucky to have you.” Din says and you lift your head up looking at the older man, “Really?” You ask and he nods and it grows silent once more before you speak up.

“Do you feel like everything is going right that it’s meant to go wrong?” You voice your fear for only him to know, “Every time we get close to winning something horrible goes wrong,” Your tone gets slightly frantic all the possibilities making you more nervous.

Din grabs your shoulders making you look at him, “I promised you I was never leaving you and I’m not. Ever.” He reassures and you nod before he pulls you into his arms just holding you there. His chin rests on the top of your head nothing is said between the two of you but you could tell he meant every single one of his words.

“I love you, dad…” You say and he freezes slightly before his arms squeeze you tighter to him, “Love you too, kid.”

“Those aren’t Mandalorians.” You call out as they immediately take fire, ambushing you all, “They’re Imperials! Take cover.” All the Mandalorians take cover firing at them.

“It’s an ambush!”

“Thank you for gathering the Mandalorians into one place,” He says, and you are unmoving. Moff Gideon was back. He finds delight in seeing the horror and pure terror in your expression as the Mandalorians behind the blast door has no choice but to watch. “Thanks to your planet’s rich resources, I have created the next-generation Dark Trooper suit forged from beskar alloy,”

“Why don’t we take your fleet off the board while we still have the element of surprise? Activate the interceptors and bombers.” He orders and Bo-Katan slams her fist against the glass.

“No!” the Klaxon alarm blares as the Interceptors and Bombers are activating, “In but a few moments, the Purge of Mandalore will be complete.”

“Kaz, get up. Kaz, kriffing get up and fight. Please stop! Please don’t do this…I’ll do anything please don’t I beg you!” You shout as he takes in your features one last time though tear-filled and bloody you still look beautiful in his eyes, “Kaz, please get up!”

“I love y-” The blade cleaves through his body as a scream of anguish rips through your throat.

“None of this would have occurred if you had accepted. He’s dead because of your actions, princess.” Gideon mocks you as you’re sent into a spiral sobs racking your body and hyperventilating from the shock that has taken over.

You didn’t deserve happiness…you would never love again. You had nothing left in you to love. Your happiness, your love, and yourself had died right alongside him held in his arms with dead promises to visit the far-off planets you dreamed of.

You were in a daze as the commandos practically dragged you through the halls, and you didn’t hear Din’s shouts, didn’t hear anything it was a blur until you were brought into a room and you’re dropped to your knees and chained to the floor. It repeated in your head like a broken melody, his face…his beautiful face draining of life.

“I love y-” Drain of tears as you felt no emotion, you didn’t feel sadness, loss, anger, sorrow, anything. It was empty. The doors before you open up but you barely acknowledge it glance up and seeing Gideon enter removing the beskar helmet and holding it to his side a malicious grin on his face.

“Where’s the fight, dear princess? That fire….that rage… not going to get your revenge?” He taunts standing before you and you gaze up at him, your eyes red and puffy your throat strained and dry from your sobs and screams.

“Just kill me already…I have no use for you.” Your voice is dead and flat and he chuckles his hand grabbing your chin your lifeless eyes are forced to look up at his wicked gaze, “Oh but that would make things so much easier for you wouldn’t it? Be reunited with your Mandalorian..” He rises dropping your chin and your head drops down.

“Get comfortable you’ll have front-row seats to witness the purge of your people and end the Mandalorians once and for all.” He says and your empty heart feels a twinge of worry for your family scattered across this base.

Din’s mind was running wild since the ambush seeing Moff Gideon had escaped the New Republic, seeing Kaz die and you getting taken away. Your screams and cries burned into his mind. You were fallen down a rabbit hole he barely got you out of the first time this worst. The two commandos force him down a hall and he shoves against one of them and then kicks his foot against the wall having them all stumble away from him. Breaking free from one of them flipping the other as he grabs the vibroblade cutting his bonds at his feet and quickly stabs the commando closest to him. Dodging the blaster fire that hits his beskar armor sudden heat against him from the flamethrower as he grabs their wrist slamming it to the ground. Pulling him into a chokehold and snapping his neck as a cable wraps around Din’s neck pulling him back he struggles as he sees the blaster in the commando's hand. It’s suddenly grabbed and destroyed,

“No. No. No. No. No.” Grogu presses the vocal button and Din stabs the commando with the blade the two hitting the ground. Gasping for air as Grogu sprays a bacta spray in his face as he tries waving him off coughing with his tied hands, “I'm okay. I'm okay…help me up,” Grogu pulls Din to his feet before holding his wrist out, “Will you cut me loose?’

Pressing the button gives a ‘yes’ and frees him from his restraints and he rubs his wrist, “Thank you for your help. Grogu, I'm going to need you to be brave for me, okay?” The small child babbles, “We can't keep running. If we don't take out Moff Gideon, this will never end. We have to find your sister as well. You with me?” A yes comes from IG-12 and the two make their way through the base to find and finish off Moff Gideon and save you.

In the cave system escaping from the following commandos, a transmission comes through Bo-Katan’s comms, “Bo-Katan, come in.” “Received. Where are you?” She sighs in relief glad to hear him alright.

“We're safe. I escaped. I've got the kid,” He says and her worry picks up slightly only hearing one kid with him, “And Y/n where is she?”

“I don’t know, I’m looking for her…I'm going after Moff Gideon. Do you have a location?” Din explains and Bo-Katan sighs leading her people through the caves, “No. We are under attack. I have to get the troops to safety.”

“Understood,” Din says moving through the halls followed by Grogu,

“Stay safe.” Bo-Katan responds their contact broken as the Captain calls out to them, “If we escape to the surface, I know where we can hole up.” He explains and they all take off to the surface. Bo-Katan worries for the people around her, her small family in Gideon’s base, and prays Woves gets to the ship before the Imperials do.

You hear the doors open behind you as Gideon stands before a large hologram map, “Sir, the fighters and bombers have launched,” A commando says, “Their capital ship will soon be destroyed.”

Gideon is silent before speaking up, “But the Mandalorian has escaped.” Your heavy head perks up slightly upon hearing the news. Din had escaped. He was moving through this base. The whirring of Gideon’s armor as the Commando looks at him waiting for orders,

“Shall we engage?” The helmet is put on Gideon and you hear his modulated “No, I'll take care of him myself.” A hoarse chuckle comes fills the room and the commando stiffens Gideon is silent as it starts soft until it’s the only thing he can hear seeing your head shake. You look up at him the blood mouth and chin dried the hollow look in your eyes having a spark of malice.

“You’re dead…he’s gonna kill you.” You rasp a huff of laughter in your tone and you hear the whirring of his armor as it curls into a fist, “You won’t even last a minut-” A beskar-infused punch across your face sends you on your side. Stars fill your vision as you try to calm the queasiness that fills you. Glancing back up at him seeing double him. Gideon looks seeing the indifference despite the split brow and the quickly forming bruise on your eye.

“Gar oyay cuyir jaon Gideon..” (Your life is over) You whisper venom in your voice and he uncurls his fist before stepping back, “Prepare her for the Mandalorian’s arrival.” Gideon orders and you see the doors before you slide open and out step three guards dressed in red armor each holding intimidating weapons. Gideon backs away as one of the guards pulls over a chair. Creating slack in the chain on the ground before shoving you to the seat. You don’t get time to adjust a fist knocking the wind out of you with a punch to the gut. You curl inward but your hair is grabbed pulling you back up as a fist bashes into your face blood spills to the floor.

“You’re….you’re all..going…to die..” You wheeze out your head hanging a river of red coming from your nose and mouth, your body crying out in pain but you weren’t going to let them see. You feel one of the guards behind you seize one of your arms and you feel the strain as it’s forced to bend unnaturally, “No…no…no no!” A snap fills the air producing a scream from you as your elbow snaps and you lean forward heaving in pain. Tears and blood blur your vision, fire runs through your body as the broken limb is let go of. Gideon turns away leaving the room the sounds of your screams and begging as the torture begins rings through his head. You were going to be a great present for your Mandalorian.

Din moves through the halls skillfully followed by IG-12 controlled by Grogu, “R5. Come in, R5,” Din calls through his comms and a beeping response comes through from the surface, “I need you, buddy. You're gonna have to scomp into the base and get me the location of Moff Gideon's command center.” Hesitant beeping makes Din sigh as he peeks around a corner, “I'm sorry, I don't speak Binary. I'm counting on you.” Moving throughout the base avoiding commandos he calls back out to the droid, “R5, how are those schematics coming?” A schematic of the base appears, “Got it. Good job, buddy. That's the command center. The communications log says that's where he operates from. That's where we're goin'.” Din points at the blinking dot representing the command center on the hologram map.

“Ready?” He looks over at Grogu who coos, “Stay close. Let's go.” With only his skills Din moves through the halls before reaching the hall leading to the command center with barrier shields stopping any from entering, “The command center is down there. I don't have any weapons so this might get messy. R5. There are some barrier shields. I'm gonna need you to deactivate them one at a time.” The droid beeps understanding his assignment, “On my command. Got it?”

Din peeks around the corner seeing the multiple rows of guards he would have to take one, “Deactivate the first shield.” The red shield comes and Din rushes forward throwing a swing at the guard closest to him sending him to the ground and kicking his leg out hitting the other one. Grabbing the guard getting up barely dodging a blaster fire that kills the one in front of him. Spinning him to deflect the attack with the dead guard’s shield he pulls the knife from his belt while throwing it. It lodges into the other's neck and Din rushes forward to grab the blaster but the guard falls back into a drop disappearing.

“R5, next shield.” Din calls out as the second barrier opens controlled by the droid his two enemies armed with electro-riot batons and shields. Rushing forward kneeing on in the face sending him crashing into the barrier and quickly deflecting the attack from the guard behind him bringing him to the ground. Grabbing the baton jamming into the space between armor from the guard in front of him then spin kicks the other off the ledge. Picking up the shield now with a weapon and defense steps forward to the two awaiting guards behind the shield.

“R5, next shield.”

Slamming the shield against one guard against their blaster fire, jamming the electric baton into the knee of one guard brings him down shielding himself. Attacking his chest as the guard grunts hitting the ground and Din stabs the baton in his helmet electrocuting the guard to death. Grabbing the blaster firing at the guard and getting to his feet, the two fire and shield against one another, “R5, next shield,” Din calls out firing but no response comes through, “R5, next shield! R5!” Din yells into his comm blocking another blow as the smoke from the blasters fills the area.

“R5, next shield.” The last barrier opens and slides through the smoke tripping one of the guards grabbing the blaster. Spinning around to stand firing at the guard that fires but it hits Din’s beskar armor. Killing the guard before moving towards the unarmed one trying to rise up but he quickly pulls the trigger. The air is fresh with gun residue the adrenaline in the bounty hunter’s blood fading with the trail of bodies. Grogu peeks around the corner seeing the aftermath and Din motions him to come over. “R5, good job, buddy.” Din compliments the droid as he hears beeps coming from the droid.

Opening the door reveals a long hallway covered in tanks that line the walls. Din and Grogu slowly creep through the halls before Din holds his hand out stopping the child, “Wait here.” He moves to a control table trying to figure out the information. He hears a whimper from the child as he looks frightened by the clones, “That's not Gideon. Those are his clones.” The small child looks at the tank holding a sleeping clone of his former captor. Its eyes snap open producing a cry as Grogu stumbles back while handling the droid. Din presses certain buttons tampering with the controls as the console begins beeping and powering down,

“Let's go.” The two rush escaping the room as an alarm goes off the tanks exploding water spilling out as the doors close behind them. Din turns away from the doors and Grogu and the air leaves Din’s body as his legs become stone. The room lay bare no Gideon in sight but a chair and a familiar figure hunched over blood surrounding the person. His body rushes forward whipping around the chair and his heart drops but also rage fills his body as he stares at the young girl. You were covered in blood, your injuries he couldn’t tell where they started or where they ended. One of your arms hung limply at your side still restrained but he saw the odd angle and cringed. His hands shake slightly as he cups your face and you seem to react to the touch as you murmur your eyes blinking up trying to see, one of your eyes was quickly turning black and blue.

“Kaz…” Your voice is hoarse and weak and his chest burns at the thought in your state of pain and exhaustion you thought he was someone who was long gone.

“Kid…it’s me,” He tries to keep his voice calm pushing back the blood-soaked hair away from you, “I’m gonna get you out of here.” A sudden blaster fire barely misses you both and Din is forced to pull away both him and Grogu hide behind some walls. The mechanical footsteps clank against the ground as Din holds the blaster between his hands.

“My clones were finally going to be perfect,” Gideon’s rage-filled voice surrounds the room, “The best parts of me but improved by adding the one thing I never had. The Force. I was isolating the potential to wield the Force, and incorporating it into an unstoppable army. And you smothered them before they could draw their first breath” He hisses and Din could feel the fury coming from him. A hitch of breath as a mechanical whirring fills the air and a choked gasp fills the air.

“So I’ll take the breath from who you care for,” Gideon growls tightening his strong grip around your throat. Din whips around firing at Gideon but the blaster bolts bounce off his beskar armor does make Gideon release you your head dropping as Gideon fires a missile at Din. Dodging the attack he charges at him with his jetpack the two being pushed into the hangar entering combat. Gideon hurls Din aside as he collides with a large crate quickly receiving beskar-fueled punches in the gut and the face rattling the bounty hunter. Grabbing the Mandalorian by the chestplate hurling off to the floor before launching another attack on him. Din rolls out of the way right as Gideon slams a fist into the ground denting the metal floors.

The sounds of battle from the hangar rage on and in the air as Mandalorians fight against the imperials for their homeworld. Everything was painful just breathing hurt, you wanted it to all fade away praying it would all just stop. A metal hand gently pulls up your face and you felt a cooling sensation across your face as you slowly force your eyes to open seeing the arm of a droid and the small green child. Grogu coos as the healing medicine sprays across your face and he pulls away and you wince feeling something jab into your leg a small burning sensation.

“Grogu…” You whisper and you hear the ‘yes’ come from the child as it moves away from you and you hear the whirring sound and sparks coming off you. Whatever healing spray had made your face grow numb but whatever was put into your leg, you felt your heart rate beating faster and the surge of energy in your limbs. You hear a crack of metal and something falling off as you slump forward falling off the chair unable to hold or catch yourself. You hit the ground with a groan and you hear the loud cry from Din as you see through blurry vision him on the ground the same red armorer guards around him. You hear footsteps pass by you as your heartbeat becomes the only thing you can hear as you force yourself onto your back.

Din groans in pain as the blade is brought deeper into his armor when a voice comes through, “No, no, no.” Din sees Grogu’s angry expression as he slams his fist on the voice button. The three Praetorian Guards pull away now a new target as they force the child back into the command center.

“No!” Din cries out the fear of seeing another one of his children hurt as he scrambles to his feet. A missile hits him directly at his back sending him to the ground but he back on his feet with the urgency to save them when a fibercord whip wraps around his neck dragging him right back to Gideon as the doors close putting the Imperial Guards with both his defenseless children.

You hear the fighting that had entered the room and the cries coming from Grogu as you see flashes of fighting but too weak to stand up. Get up. They are going to kill him if you don’t fight. He’s going to die because of you. You roll over to your side a loud groan coming from you drawing the attention of one of the guards as they come over to you. Your limbs shake with pain as you push yourself with one arm up to be on your hands and knees. A sharp kick to your ribs knocks you back down with a cry as you gasp for air. Don’t stop…stand up. Pushing yourself a strained grunt comes as you return to your knees another kick knocks you back down landing on your back as you try to get air. You can’t do it…you’re too weak.

“I’m sorry…” You whisper tears falling into your hair as the guard stands above you the spear in his grasp.

“Get up…” A voice calls out a whisper the feeling of home flooding your veins, “Come on mesh’la you have to fight.” His voice is like a medicine that heals all wounds. You feel the gentle touch on your skin a caress down your face as he leans down a kiss placed on your forehead. You see the guard raise up his spear to deliver the killing blow it all happening in slow motion.

“Get up.”

The weapon swings down stopping just before your chest a mere hair away when a force stops him. The guard tries pushing down more but is unable to move his body frozen in place. A choking fills the air as he grabs his neck releasing the staff before a large crack fills the air. Din enters the command center having left Bo-Katan to fight against Gideon to see one of the guards collapse to the ground and you laying on the ground beside the body. The others are about to attack Grogu with Din fires his blaster at one of them. The two quickly dispose of the guards together with Din’s combat and Grogu’s force abilities. Din checks over the child when he hears a groan coming from the other side of the room. His head snaps over seeing you on your feet though shakily and Din rushes over his arm wrapping around your waist and holding you up.

“Kid! I’m sorry…maker this is all my fault..” He whispers as you barely register his words looking towards the hangar and seeing Bo-Katan and Gideon fighting. “You stay here. I’ll be back.” You groan in protest before he forces you back to the ground against a wall to sit.

“Gideon…he has to-” “I know…I know you can’t be moving alright.” He says before your left in that room once again but the second he’s gone your hand is clawing at the wall to bring yourself to your feet. This was your fight just as much as theirs and you were going to make sure Gideon was dead.

Bo-Katan spins the Darksaber disarming the electrostaff from Gideon’s grasp but he sends a mighty punch sending her sliding across the ground. Bo-Katan pushes herself to her feet as Gideon pulls off a weapon from his belt and a howl fills the air as a brilliant orange glow reflects on the black beskar. “Hand over the Darksaber and I will give you a warrior's death.” The warlord demands. Rushing towards him with a yell sabers crash against one another as Bo-Katan launches a renewed attack striking him in spots but it has no effect on the beskar armor. However, Gideon is an indomitable force grabbing Bo-Katan’s hand midswing the two holding the Darksaber. With a crush from his gauntlet, he destroys the ancient weapon bringing the female to her knees. The broken hilt lies on the ground as he rips her helmet off kicking Bo-Katan to the ground as she slides toward the edge.

“The Darksaber is gone. You've lost everything,” Stalking towards her taunting the failed Mandalorian, “Mandalorians are weak once they lose their trinkets.”

Bo-Katan rises to her knees a smirk on her face, “Mandalorians are stronger together.” A sudden blaster bolt strikes Gideon from behind and he quickly turns seeing the Mandalorian firing at him. Exchanging fire as Gideon is drawn towards the edge blocking the attacks with the saber. Firing from his wrist Gideon strikes down Din multiple times though shielded by the beskar still stuns him. Bo-Katan slides protecting him using her shield. The hangar shakes sparks flying in the air as the hurtling imperial cruiser descends on the base. Bo-Katan rushes forward with a warrior cry as Gideon raises the saber when he’s thrown back and smacks into the ground. The deactivated saber is released from his hand and Gideon tries to grab it when it’s pulled past him into a person’s grasp. Gideon looks towards where the weapon went the true fear that runs through him. Blood soaks her dirty clothes the broken arm limp at her side, how she was standing after the beating she received he wouldn’t know, in her working hand, the deadly weapon ignites producing a brilliant orange glow.

Gideon raises his blaster firing it at you but with quick reflexes, they deflect hitting him back as he stumbles back towards the edge. You keep trudging forward blocking his attacks as he grows closer and closer to the ledge. He rushes forward to attack you when a blade goes straight through the gap in his chest plate and stomach. A hitch in his breath as the blade digs deep staring into your gaze the haunting look in your eyes.

“This is the non-diplomatic option.” You grunt ripping the saber out as debris rains down the ship crashing into the hangar. Arms wrap around you pulling you to the ground as you are shielded from the inferno hearing Gideon’s screams. You expected the heat from the flames to incinerate you opening your eyes and seeing the barrier all around you the flames and destruction not touching you. Din and Bo-Katan lower their arms from shielding themselves as the three of you look at the small child before you protecting you all. Lowering the Force bubble the flames go from around you as Grogu plops down exhausted from the use as the three of you stand up viewing the destruction. The base is in shambles the flames and smoke from the attack, your gaze moves to where Gideon stands nothing there burnt to ashes. It was a lightweight feeling knowing he was truly dead the battle finally over. With so many lost and many that never saw the end of the journey there were necessary but heartbreaking so you could win.

A cave once left abandoned the light from natural fluorescents the torches empty now lit. The banging of drums fills the tunnels only growing louder reaching the mouth of the cave. Banners of clan signets as clan heads line the path a pathway of torches leading to the steps of water. “I swear on my name and the names of the ancestors..” The Armorer speaks to the small boy a shallow bowl in her grasp, “I swear on my name and the names of the ancestors..”

“That I shall walk the Way of the Mand'alor…” "That I shall walk the Way of the Mand'alor…”

“And the words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart.” The crowd watches as the boy recites the creed. It had been months since his first try at joining the Creed and now he stands in the water speaking those words heavy in his heart with the loss of his father, “And the words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart.”

The Armorer kneels down scooping up some of the living waters pouring on the beskar helmet as he rises to stand, “This is the Way.”

Ragnar nods repeating the words, “This is the Way.” The crowd of Mandalorians from the Children of the Watch repeat the words. Ragnar steps away rejoining his clan as a Mandalorian in silver beskar armor holding a small infant reaches the steps. Placing the child on the step before the water and the man entering the water slightly.

“Grogu is my apprentice.” The once-bounty hunter gestures to the small child, “He is no longer a foundling. Add him to the Song.”

“He is too young to speak so he is too young to take the Creed.” The Armorer shakes her head as the child babbles proving her point, “He must remain a foundling.”

Din is silent looking at the child that looks sad at the news, “If his parent gave permission, couldn't he then become a Mandalorian apprentice?” The Armorer is silent before nodding, “Yes, but his parents are far from here…if they are even alive.” Her words hinted at some underlying solution. The man looks at the child before speaking,

“Then I will adopt him as my own.” The small child looks up in surprise at the news and the Armorer accepts this decision, “This is the Way.” She says and the man repeats the words.

The female Mandalorian turns to face the crowd of Mandalorians, “Let it be written in Song that Din Djarin is accepting this foundling as his son,” She turns looking at the child now adopted by the man, “You are now Din Grogu, Mandalorian apprentice.”

“This is the Way.” The Mandalorians chant and she holds her hand up silencing them, “You must leave Mandalore and take your apprentice on his journeys, just as your teacher did for you.” The Armorer explains and Din nods, “This is the Way.”

The child now legally under the watch of Din babbles cheerfully and in the depths of the waters before them, a creature stirs almost sensing the change. Din grabs Grogu bidding farewell to the Armorer and other members of the tribe. From the corner of his eye, Din sees the flutter of a cloak as they disappear from the living waters. A lone girl viewing the spectacle many troubling thoughts running through her.

Hidden in the shadows watching as the Armorer and Bo-Katan stand before the Great Forge with the Mandalorians from both fractions watching their leader. The Armorer produces a torch passing it to the woman who moves holding it over the forge. The flame ignites the gas the Forge of their people relit after years of remaining dormant. The clanking of the vambraces creates a synchronized rhythm as Woves starts a chant, “For Mandalore!” “For Mandalore!” “For Mandalore!” The fractions brought together their planet back with the rightful owners as they chanted for their victory but also for those they had lost and their sacrifice would not be in vain. Bo-Katan looks over the crowd a wide smile on her face seeing her people together once again but she catches the gaze of a lone figure not in Mandalorian armor. The cloak and mask hid the still healing injuries but she could see the tired eyes that watch the excitement of the people around her but she lacks any. Bo-Katan could see the defeat in them none of this was a victory in their eyes too much loss and the pain was too great to think of the positive. Their eyes meet and she could tell the look in their eyes and what it meant. No words needed to be spoken as the figure disappears in the crowd that she couldn’t keep up. Bo-Katan tries to keep a smile for her people but it cracks just slightly with the information she knew.

Returned to Nevarro where this whole journey began Greef claps his hand on Din's shoulder, “The people of Nevarro appreciate all you've done, Mando.” Pulling a small chip and holding it out for him, “I want to give you this deed to a cabin just outside of town where you can lay low with your new family if you choose so. Between adventures.”

Din accepts this gracious gift nodding in thanks, “Thank you.” Greef chuckles kneeling down to the small child on the steps, “And that goes for you too, Din Grogu.” Greef stands up noticing the third person apart of their group missing, “And where is the other one? I was certain she would stay with you all unless she’s with that Mandalorian of hers. I certainly like him as a partner.”

Din sighs shaking his head, “She’s here just…going through a lot. I’m giving her some space.” Din looks around the city. This was their new home to reside in while Din works as a personal contractor for the New Republic. “The boy…Kaz, he didn’t make it.”

Greef’s expression drops, “My condolences…well be sure to send her my apologizes for her loss.” The air was tense and it seemed to remain that when they had left Mandalore, even going to the Adelphi base, to even here. He was giving you the time you needed, you were still healing from your injuries refusing any medicine that would require you to be unconscious. With no choice but to respect your decision giving you the best he could get but just time would heal all wounds. While the physical wounds may leave scars that would soon fade the ones on your mind and heart would never.

“And I have a gift for you as well.” Din breaks the tension and appears from the crowd the newly reconstructed IG-11, “Greetings, citizens. I am IG-11, your new Marshal. Your new Marshal of Nevarro.” The crowd cheers as their new Marshal greets them all.

“I am here to serve and protect the citizenry. I am at your disposal and serve at your pleasure.” Greef laughs seeing the familiar droid, “There we go.”

Days on Nevarro settled into your new home a place for Din to relax for now before the New Republic called for him. During these times spent making the cabin home, Grogu enters school and gets to grow up. It all seemed well in this home the other missing piece was yourself. Din felt like you were a ghost, your injuries had healed up but you were hesitant with this place he had reassured multiple times was yours. A room that was strictly yours, getting you new clothing, having home-cooked meals, and even trying to get you to go out into the city and have fun and be young again. It was the opposite though he felt like he was pulling teeth and you would only do these to soothe his worries but he still saw the hollowness in your expression, the mask you put up, and weak smiles. He saw your body thin from the lack of food, rushing into your room hearing your screams at night from the memories that plagued you, the dark circles under your eyes from forcing yourself to stay awake to avoid being trapped inside your mind. Give her time he kept telling himself but time wasn’t helping and it all seemed to build up until the thinning string finally snapped.

The sun was beginning to set and Grogu was playing with the small ball of his in the living room as Din finished up dinner placing it off to the side to cool off. “Come on kid,” Coming over scooping his son up, “Let’s get your sister.” Grogu babbles still playing with the ball as they move to the front of the house where a small pond lies. Din had set up a small chair beside the door that he normally kicks back and watches Grogu play. By the pond resting against a tree right by the water there you sit knees tucked under your chin, your focus on the rippling water as frogs and small fishes swim around.

“Kid!” He calls out and you slowly look away meeting his gaze as he stands by the threshold of the house, “Dinner come.” He says and he sees the hesitation on your face as you turn looking back at the water. Din sighs coming towards the tree to get you to come his pace slows to a stop when he notices a bag beside you that looks fully packed.

“Kid…” He calls out hesitant about where this conversation could possibly be going. You were dressed in the clothes that you hadn’t worn since the battle on Mandalore, the cloak wraps around you as you continue staring at the waters. Din waits for the words he fears seeing the expression on your face the pieces coming together.

“I can’t stay here.”

And the air goes thin as his fear becomes a reality. His grip tightens on Grogu slightly as he looks down on you as you start up again, “I can’t just live here happy while he is seen as nothing but a sacrifice for that planet.” Din knew who you were talking about as your voice tighten up and you look up blinking away those tears.

“I know you’re hurting you just need time…I know it hurts now-” Din tries reassuring you but when you looked at him he felt his chest twist as he stops speaking. You had already made your decision and it was just more painful than you saying the words.

“I don’t sleep. I don’t eat. I’m…I’m not like you or the kid…I don’t know what to do anymore…I tried and I tried so damn hard. But I can’t close my eyes without seeing him…” You hold back a cry as you swipe at your sniffling nose, “I’m not telling you to give up this place you deserve a home to settle and be happy but I…I have lost everything all my life…everyone I have loved has either died or left me. Everyone except for you…” You say looking at Din and you feel the anguish coming from him and the glassy look in Gorgu’s eyes.

“I’m so scared of being alone and I don’t want to lose you but sitting here I’m reminded about how I’ve failed all of them.” You say with a shaky breath before looking away from him whispering your fear. “How I might fail you.” It’s a painful silence that is filled with distress and sorrow as Din is told the troubles you’ve been dealing with all this time, even before Mandalore, since your childhood.

“Please don’t try to stop me.” You beg him and it’s so quiet you thought he left but when you look up at him he’s still there. This would have to be the hardest thing to go through and experience. You were so used to people leaving you or the small chance at happiness…love being ripped away from you. It was worst being the one to leave when you knew how much they cared for you…loved you.

“Can…” His voice cracks slightly, “Can you at least stay for dinner?” He speaks in a mere whisper and you hear the sadness in his voice. If he wasn’t wearing that helmet you would see the tears streaming down his face. The tears you tried keeping in start sliding down your face as you hold a fist to your mouth holding back choked sobs. Taking a shaky inhale as your throat is thick with tears,

“If I stay I’ll never leave…” This breaks both of you as you swipe at your tears standing up, “i’m sorry..” Grabbing the pack and slinging it over your shoulder not before grabbing an item from it and holding it out to him in his freehand that isn’t holding Grogu grabs the small object seeing the cloaked binary beacon.

“If you ever need me…no matter where in the galaxy,” You clear your throat pulling up your sleeve and showing the matching one of your wrist, “I’ll find you.” It’s a promise that while you may be lightyears and planets apart you would always find your way home. Back to him… Din curls his hand around the object as he looks at you...his daughter. It’s silent as you step forward rubbing your fingers between Grogu’s ear as he gives a coo and you lean forward pressing a kiss on his forehead. Looking up at the beskar helmet that does nothing to hide his emotion and he raises a hand swiping away the stray tears before pulling you into his chest. You feel the shake of his chest as he cries and you bit your lip to stop yourself from breaking. Held in his arms until you had no choice but to pull away for your sake if not you would never leave.

“Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum…ad” (I love you…daughter)

He memorizes everything about you, from your hair to your nose, your mouth, the crease between your eyebrows, the weariness in your tear-filled eyes, every detail. For a moment he was back on Arvala-7 looking down at the bright-eyed girl as she held his knife demanding answers. How times had changed? You weren’t a quarry or some cargo, you were his daughter from the beginning even if he didn’t realize it. Though blood is not shared you were his daughter and he was your father and nothing would change it.

“Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum…buir” (I love you…dad)

The words repeated back before you turn away and walk towards the ship. Tears flow like rivers down your face as you grow further and further from Din and Grogu. You hear the small cry from Grogu that makes you bite your lip to hold back your sobs as you reach your X-Wing. You throw the bag into the cargo compartment as R4 beeps sadly from his droid port. Pulling yourself onto the wing entering the cockpit as the canopy closes and you start up the ship. Your eyes betray you glancing at Din who still stands by the pond holding his son as he watches you. Your gaze holds for a second before you are the one that breaks contact as the ship powers up and dust kicks up as the ship begins to take off.

Din stands there watching the ship depart staring until you are a dot in the sky and even after you’re long gone probably in hyperspace he stands there. It wasn’t until Grogu made a noise of sadness but also needed to be fed that he looks away. His limbs are shaky but filled with carbonite as he forces himself to enter the home not before looking at the beacon in his hand that beeps showing the connection between the two were still active. Din turns back looking up at the sky and the large galaxy that lies before himself. He wasn’t sure how long it would be until he sees you again but you three would be reunited again.

As a Clan of Three.

A/N: It's over. OH MY GOD! I started writing this series in January of 2021 and it is now August of 2023. I'm extremely grateful to everyone who has read this series and enjoyed it. I'm so proud of all the time and work put into it and the plenty of tears shed writing this. Literally, this series wouldn't exist without the support of you guys and the amazing story that is The Mandalorian. You all are incredible and thank you so much for reading and sticking for the ride.

#star wars #star wars fanfiction #the mandalorian #clan of three #clan of three series #din djarin fanfiction #din djarin #din djarin x reader #din djarin x teen!reader #din djarin x jedi!reader #din x reader #din djarin x y/n #mando x reader

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dumbbitchenergy17 · 9 months

Text

Clan of Three - Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One: The Spies

Word Count: 8K

Pairing: Father Figure!Din Djarin x Platonic!Teen!Reader

Warnings: fighting/violence, injuries, some wholesome moments, father-daughter moments, character death, massive angst, PTSD, just really fucking sad and depressing

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An evil out in the galaxy, the remnants of a destroyed empire forced to hide in the shadows slowly rebuilding until they can make their return. A man in imperial armor flanked by several soldiers wearing white armor and red sensors. He enters a laboratory full of tanks holding deformed and growing lifeforms, entering a conference chamber that was already going on via holograms.

“The New Republic is vulnerable, but we must be cautious and show no sign of our true strength.” One of the imperial officers states.

“Easy for you to say, Captain. There’s a fortune to be had plundering the hyperspace lanes,” A bald male commander disagrees as the man in the room actually watches the disagreement.

“Commander, your hit-and-run operations are gaining too much notice,” Captain Gilad Pellaeon reminds the commander, “If we are perceived as anything other than a group of unorganized remnant warlords, the New Republic will increase their efforts to hunt us down.”

“There are citizens loyal to the Empire on every planet in this galaxy,” A female officer speaks up, “They’re already getting sick of this New Republic and its rules and regulations.”

Another bearded officer nods agreeing to the woman’s statement “And if we give them a show of strength, they will rally behind us.” The woman nods but Pelleaon shakes his head

“But that strength must not be wasted. Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return will herald in the re-emergence of our military, and provide Commandant Hux enough time to deliver on Project Necromancer.” Pelleaon mentions the formidable Admiral. Hux smiles and the imperial warlord steps forward and Hux motions to speak.

“Captain Pellaeon, you always speak with much authority, and yet, I see,” He scoffs looking around, “Once again, that Grand Admiral Thrawn is missing from your delegation. Any word on when he will be able to participate in the Shadow Council?”

Pelleaon scoffs before replying, “With respect, our one hope for success relies upon the secrecy of his return.”

“Captain, secrets are my stock-in-trade,” The warlord reminds him, “I hear whispers from one end of the galaxy to another, and never a word of Thrawn. You have spoken of his imminent return…perhaps, it’s time we look to new leadership.”

“Hear, hear.” The female imperial officer agrees and Hux nods, “Project Necromancer is in place for that.” He asks the warlord.

“Yes, Commandant.” “What has become of Doctor Pershing and the research you promised us?” Hux asks and the warlord is silent, “Doctor Pershing was captured by the New Republic. His research is lost. For now, at least.” He says and Hux nods,

“I also hear whispers, Gideon. You held Pershing and were attempting your own experiments on Nevarro.” He questions the warlord, Moff Gideon.

“The creation of clones is your obsession, not mine. I account for what goes on in my sector, no more, no less,” Gideon looks around at the council, “The same can be said of every member of this Council.”

“Yes.” “Of course.” “That’s right.” “Yes.”

“And yet, we individually scrape and claw resources awaiting the grand plan to take shape, while you and Pellaeon amass countless resources and equipment which should be shared,” Gideon observes each warlord and Hux nods holding a datapad, “Oh, we already received your request. Three Praetorian Guards,” He scoffs, “Sounds like someone is concerned about an assassination attempt.” Gideon is silently his hand scratching his chin feeling the scars that litter his face. It was more of a second chance of an assassination attempt.

“And he thinks I’m being the flashy one,” Pelleaon remarks, “But following your first attempt it’s remarkable you’re still standing today.” The news had spread quickly through the empire of Gideon’s capture before he was soon rescued. The warlord with control over Nevarro and eyes all over the Outer Rim. But he had a key asset to taking control of a vital planet that could bring the return of the empire and it was thwarted by a man in beskar armor but the scars that would stain his skin forever caused by a young girl with abilities assumed to be extinct.

You stand over him the Darksaber in hand ready to deliver the killing blow. The rage and wrath you were going to enact your revenge.

“And reinforcements for your TIE interceptor squadron,” Hux asks and Gideon lowers his hand from the scars marring his face pushing away those memories, “And… bombers.”

“Yes, I see. And what is your security concern?” Hux asks and Gideon moves towards the middle of the room, “Mandalorians.” The council is confused by this information.

“What? They continue to be an issue?” An officer asks and Gideon nods, “They do. I am increasingly confident that they are preparing to retake their home world of Mandalore. They have a Jedi among their ranks as well that is Mandalorian too.” The council knew of this Jedi girl that had been involved with Moff Gideon but the news she is Mandalorian as well the pieces connected. The name whispered in alleys, through bounty hunters, even the New Republic was looking for her, is seen as the person who took down the Warlord Moff Gideon. Of Mandalorian and Jedi blood. The granddaughter of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Duchess Satine Kryze and current wielder of the Darksaber.

“A resurgent Mandalore would hamper our efforts.” Pelleaon remarks and the warlords a nervous about this news.

“Which is why we need to stamp them out now.” The others agree as he meets Pelleaon’s gaze, “You’ll have your reinforcements and your guard.”

“We shall be rid of the Mandalorians once and for all,” Gideon turns around looking at his fellow warlords, “Long Live the Empire!”

“Long Live the Empire!”

All repeat as Gideon leaves the council with only one thought in mind. While the Mandalorians were a threat to him only one stood out to him, a man who was willing to tear the galaxy apart for two individuals and his daughter that wouldn’t let someone stop her from finishing off the warlord. Din Djarin and Y/n Kenobi-Kryze were a threat to him but to finish this once and for all both parties need to be separated. The young princess would have wished she accepted his offer so long ago…

The planet Nevarro is serene and peaceful when the loud rumble and citizens look at the sky in shock, High Magistrate Greef Karga works in his office when he notices the tremor seeing a shadow overcast his city. “High Magistrate! High Magistrate!” The protocol droid enters the office, “An Imperial shuttle is advancing over the city.”

The Magistrate moves to the balcony viewing the large fleet over Nevarro City, “First, that’s a light cruiser. And second, it’s not Imperial.” “With apologies, sir. According to my data, it is.” The droid says from its information, and it wasn’t wrong technically.

“No, no. It was an Imperial ship. Look at the markings,” On the bottom of the light cruiser is the large design of the mythosaur, “See, those, my friend, are Mandalorian privateers. I’ll bet you, half that fleet was captured from the Empire.”

“So, they’re on our side then?” The droid asks and Greef nods, “I should hope so. They’re our welcomed guests. Come.” From the Mandalorian covert, the Armorer emerges from her tent other members of the Tribe gaze at the approaching Mandalorian fleet in wonder. On the Gauntlet the four of you fly before the fleet approaching the covert,

“I hope these two groups get along. They’ve never met, and what little they know of each other, they hate.” Bo-Katan says warily, with the new fleet and the new owner of the Darksaber a lot of pressure was on her.

“They will if they wanna survive.” You say trying to soothe her worries as the Gauntlet and the rest of the fleet land. Exiting the ship Bo-Katan led followed by her followers as they move forward as the Mandalorians of the Child of the Watch stand on opposite sides.

“Take the children inside.” Paz Vizsla orders his son and the boy is leading the children away from the situation between adults. You spot amongst the tribe the copper and white armor relieved to see him again. Bo-Katan and her followers remove their helmets as silence fills the area the tension between two groups of different beliefs. You were certainly a fight was to break out when a clanging fills the air you sigh of relief as the Armorer lowers her hammer and tongs.

“Welcome, fellow Mandalorians,” She greets the newcomers, “We invite you to make camp. Let us prepare a feast for our guests.”

It was uncomfortable and tense leading to the feast of the animosity between two tribes as you were pulled away, meeting the new IG-11 when Din and Grogu returned inside the droid while you were with Bo-Katan and the Armorer. You caught glances of the Mandalorian you wished to see but you were too far apart and when he left to join the hunting party for the feast you didn’t see him until night. A large bonfire was used to cook the animal but also to light the area, the two fractions divided a very awkward meal with only half eating the other not allowed to eat before others. They talk amongst their own clans before Bo-Katan rises to stand knowing she has to say something,

“Mandalorians. It is time to retake our home world. Even though the planet is not cursed, there are still dangers. Dormant species have been awakened from the bombings. The remaining magnetic interference has made it impossible to scan the surface from above the atmosphere.” She explains as they all listen in, “Which is why I’m proposing that we leave Nevarro and move the fleet into orbit above Mandalore. We send down a small recon party. We’ll scout the surface, find out what remains of the Great Forge, and establish a safe perimeter. Only then, will we bring down the others. I need volunteers from both tribes.” She says and silence fills the encampment of those averting their eyes from their technical leader’s gaze. You look around before making eye contact with Bo-Katan who tries hiding her nerves but you can feel them.

“I will go,” Din speaks up and Bo-Katan nods gratefully, “Y/n and Grogu as well.” He says and Grogu coos while you nod. It’s quiet once again before you see Koska Reeves grab her helmet holding it to her side as she stands.

“I will go.” She says and Bo-Katan nods now having two from each tribe, “I will go.” Woves says with a nod rising to stand.

“I will go.” Paz Vizsla states standing up as well his gaze meeting Woves as they watch each other. “I will go.” You hear Kaz’s voice and you spot him standing his gaze meets yours and he gives a small nod and you return one back. Soon others are standing volunteering themselves before the Armorer speaks up, “I will go as well.” The scouting party created the rest of the night a bit tense but lighten up.

You don’t even wait for Bo-Katan to return to your small group, you’re already up moving away from the adults towards the person you’ve been dying to see since returning to Nevarro. Din sighs watching you disappear amongst the Mandalorians seeing where that boy Kaz once was is now gone from his spot too. Bo-Katan pats his shoulder as she takes your seat, “She’s going to be alright, besides it’s good for her to be a normal teen for once well I guess adult.” It didn’t seem real that you were an adult, just yesterday Din met the girl on Arvala-7 and Bo-Katan didn’t know it was her grand-niece while helping hijack an imperial cruiser.

“I know..” Din sighs breaking apart pieces of meat for Grogu to eat who accepts it with open hands, he spots you and your Mandalorian off to the side beside the tents your hands holding the sides of Kaz’s helmet. You speak to him with a large smile across your face as he presses his helmet against your forehead. “I don’t want her to have her heartbroken…I wouldn’t know what to do. I barely got her back from Gideon.”

“Kid…hey cyar’ika..will you please look at me?”

He calls out to you, he feels like he lost two of his children, one with the Jedi that had long left and the girl in front of him but seemed to be millions of lightyears away. Moff Gideon was removed from the light cruiser going off with Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, and Cara Dune on the Slave I. Leaving himself, you, Bo-Katan, and Reeves as they went to meet up with the other Mandalorians. The female Mandalorian that was apparently your grand-aunt had allowed you two to stay willing to bring them anywhere in the galaxy before they went off for their plans to reclaim Mandalore though without the Darksaber that was now in your possession.

Your eyes were glazed over but they seemed to be focused on an item gripped in your hand as your breathing suddenly picks up. Din looks realizing the weapon in your grasp, prying from your strong grip and throwing it off in the private room you two were given. Din still hadn’t put on his helmet there was no reason to try to hide at the moment, he had already done the worse thing any Mandalorian of his creed could do. Remove one's helmet in front of a living person and he did it for you and the child.

“It’s gone..okay it’s gone.” He whispers holding your face between his palms forcing you to look at him and you barely even register him tears welling in your eyes. The blood drips to the floor from your fingers as it freely bled, your knuckles were shattered no doubt just drenched in your blood and the Moff’s. Your clothes were bloody parts of them ripped and tattered a large open hole was at your stomach and on your back and he assumes it was from…he didn’t want to think of that. He still wasn’t sure how you were standing before him and he thanked his gods and the Force that comes from you. Blood speckles your face and your messy hair as he tries swiping at the dried blood as a tear slides down your cheek wetting some dried blood before another one and they pour down your face like a waterfall. Din felt helpless seeing your innocence completely stripped away from you. Your lip wobbles as a strained whine like a wounded animal is held in your throat as you try not to break down. Din feels his own eyes burn but forces his own sadness to be pushed down as you choke back a cry. It was repressed as you hold in your cries your shoulders shake and before Din can try comforting you hit the ground a cry of pure terror comes out. Din hits the ground with you as you frantically start rubbing at your arms tearing at your skin blood spewing from your deep scratches.

“get it off…get it off…Get it off!” You scream as you try to rid the blood that marks you and Din has to wrestle with your arms to pull them away from each other and from you to stop causing harm to yourself. “Stop it Y/n! Stop!” Din yells fearfully of you being so terrified of Moff Gideon’s blood on you that you were hurting yourself in your panic. Tears blind your vision as he looks over you forcing your hands into one of his and cups your cheek with the free one. He could only describe pure fear in your voice and your face as Moff Gideon continues to plague you despite the fact he was lightyears away from you. “He tried to…” You break down as he pulls you into his arms holding you in the crook of his neck your arms clutching his cape.

“Oh cyar’ika…I got you…you’re safe..it’s just us.” He reassures you blinking away the tears from his eyes as you sob in the safety of his arms, “Din.” You whimper as he presses a kiss to the top of your head whispering into your hair.

“You’re safe…you’re alright. I’m not leaving…I got you cyar’ika.” It was a promise…a vow to always protect you to make sure this never happens again. To never see another tear be shed, shelter you from the harshness of the world, to keep yours in his embrace safe in his arms. He would put his life on the line, let himself die, and break his creed a thousand times over to make sure you never go through this kind of pain ever.

Din watches you speak to that boy as he holds you in your embrace Bo-Katan sees the nervousness and fear coming off the bounty hunter, “She can’t go through it again. That kind of pain isn’t meant for her…this life isn’t meant for her.” He voices his worries. He would bring you away from here, hide you away from the world even if you would hate him for the rest of your life if it keeps you safe he was willing to. But he couldn’t be selfish…he couldn’t live in a world where you hated him, and they were so close to the end. Returning home to Mandalore, start anew and when that time came he would hang up his blaster and sit back and watch you grow older and be a father, not a bounty hunter. So he watches you be happy in this moment of serenity praying to the highest being to keep that boy safe for the sake of your heart.

The next morning after bidding goodbye to Magistrate Greef Karga, the fleet, and its Mandalorians depart from Nevarro to Mandalore. The Mandalorians sit in the hull for the drop while you, Grogu, Bo-Katan, and the Armorer sit in the cockpit. Both the N-1 and X-Wing left on the light cruiser and R4 sadly stays on the cruiser. He was a bit disappointed but you reassured him, he would be the first person you bring when you return from the scouting party. All the ships exit hyperspace reaching Mandalore as the Gauntlet heads towards the stormy surface, “Scouting party descending to surface. We’ll lose comms shortly.” Bo-Katan says speaking to the people in the back as the ship rattles entering the thunderstorms that surround the planet’s atmosphere. Soon you’re breaking through the storm flying over the destroyed cities of your homeworld.

The doors slide open as Din enters holding onto your seat to stabilize himself, “They’re ready.” Bo-Katan presses on a keypad, “Secure infill zone.” Soon the Mandalorians depart to the planet you remain hovering over before you hear a transmission come through, “Gauntlet, landing zone secure.” Woves announces and the ship lands the five of you disembarking. Grogu controls IG-12 as you touch the glassy surface.

“Somewhere below is where our ancient capital once stood,” Bo-Katan tells the other Mandalorians, “We’ll survey the surface until we find the Forge and create a safety zone. Only then will we begin to bring down the settlers. We start scouting in that direction.” She points in the direction of the sunset.

“Form up.” Your expedition begins walking in pairs through the terrain, you walk beside Kaz in front of Din and the Armorer. A large distance is covered before you sense something. You pause and Kaz and Din look at you confused.

“Kid?” “Something’s heading towards us.” You comment to the Mandalorians sensing a large presence looking out and seeing something on the horizon, “There, on the horizon.” You point out as a large land ship with wheels approaches.

“Nite Owls.” Bo-Katan commands and the Nite Owls quickly get into position the rest of you holding your weapons ready for whoever it was. “Flanking left.” You were more surprised about the fact that people were actually here and if so how did they survive the Purge? The ship comes rumbling to a stop a distance away before a voice shouts out.

“Do you have food?” “We do.” Bo-Katan replies and another man onboard shouts, “You wear the crest of the Nite Owls?”

“I should hope so.” Bo-Katan says, “They’re Mandalorians.” The Armorer says.

“Is that the voice of Lady Bo-Katan Kryze?” Your party is silent as Bo-Katan decides to confirm, “It is.” Suddenly three Mandalorians activate their jetpacks leaving their ship and landing in front of the scouting party. They remove their helmets revealing tired but hopeful faces.

“We knew you would not forsake us, Lady Bo-Katan. We have failed you, but our blasters remain in your service.” They lower their heads slightly bringing a hand to rest over their hearts. Your group found itself on the ship eating dinner only those who took off their helmets at. You sat between Din and Kaz with Bo-Katan at the head of the table.

“They intercepted any ships they saw leaving. They took no prisoners. They bombed every surface twice over. They punished us as a warning to the whole galaxy because we refused to surrender.” The Captain of the landship explains and Bo-Katan grows quiet.

“That’s not true….I did surrender.” She says and the Mandalorians went silent before whispering amongst each other, “After our forces were annihilated in the Night of a Thousand Tears and defeat was imminent, I met with Moff Gideon. The ISB had reached out to me to negotiate a cease-fire. In exchange for submitting to the Empire and disarming, all remaining cities and Mandalorian lives were to be spared. That is how Moff Gideon came to possess the Darksaber. I didn’t trust him, but it was the only chance I had to save our people. And then he betrayed me and we were helpless to resist the Purge of Mandalore.” She explains. The air is tense as the truth of the destruction of this planet is revealed.

The Captain swallows harshly turning to the still helmet Mandalorians, “How did these others survive?” “We were hidden on the moon of Concordia.” The Armorer explains.

“Are you Death Watch?” The Captain questions a bit suspicious of the terrorist group that went into known hiding on Concordia, “Death Watch exists no longer. It shattered into many warring factions.”

“Our people have suffered time and again. From division and squabbling factions,” Bo-Katan says looking over the table, “Mandalore has always been too powerful for any enemy to defeat. It is always our own division that destroys us.”

“And what does a Jedi have involved amongst our kind? The last time Jedi and Mandalorians fought side by side was the Seige of Mandalore during the Clone Wars,” The Captain says remembering fighting there as well, “I thought the Jedi were all killed off?”

“That is true…I make no sense here. To some, I am an enemy..to others a reminder of the past allies you once fought alongside,” You say holding your hands over the table, “I am here to return to my home planet and see the rise of Mandalore and its people. My father once wished for Mandalore to be a planet for all Mandalorians despite which fraction or division they came from to have a homeworld, no matter if you are Mandalorian by blood or Mandalorian by Creed.” Your gaze meets Bo-Katan's and then Din’s.

“Though I no longer wield the Darksaber….I fight alongside my grand-aunt for the chance that we and the Mandalorians scattered across the galaxy may all return home.” The table is silent surprised and shocked by the words coming from you. The diplomacy and leadership exuding from you, Bo-Katan sees her sister in you with your words.

“You’re…her grand-niece.” The Captain says shocked many of the Mandalorians stuck on this planet see the resemblance between you and the redhead. “I am Y/n Kenobi-Kryze.”

You leaned against the railing of a secluded part of the land-ship it was stationed the traveling continuing in the morning. The breeze cooling on your skin as your elbows rest on the wood looking out on the destroyed planet that was the home of your family. “That was a good speech…told you I can see a leader in you.” Kaz’s voice comes from your side as you glance over at him. You hum returning your gaze to the open space of Mandalore, you only wished you could have seen this planet in all its glory.

“Do you ever wish you were here on Mandalore when it was still standing and in all its glory,” You ask and he leans against the railing beside you as he thinks for a second, “I think it would have been nice being on a planet of our people, but I don’t think I would have survived the Purge of Mandalore.” He says honestly and you give him a look.

“That’s morbid.” You say and he chuckles slightly, “No but it also meant we wouldn’t have met. I mean if you were here you would be in the capital as a princess and me just a lowly commoner.” He says teasingly and you shove him producing a laugh from him.

“I am definitely no princess. Maker imagine me in a dress and those uncomfortable shoes!” You ramble and you notice him silent watching you, “What?” He keeps looking at you before shaking his head and looking away, “No you can’t just not tell me!” You grab his arm and he looks down at you.

“Does my princess command me?” You hear the smile on his tone and you roll your eyes, “Yes she does now tell me.” You cross your arms across your chest and he’s quiet before leaning forward and pushing a piece of hair that gets in front of your face.

“I think you would like quite pretty in a dress.” He says and your face flushes and you turn away making him laugh, “What you told me to tell you!” He says between laughter before he spins you around to look at him and he presses his forehead against yours and you close your eyes slightly.

“Naboo.” You say and he leans back looking at you confused, “What?” “I will only wear a dress on Naboo. I was told that it’s the most beautiful planet in the galaxy. And there are lakes and waterfalls and fields of flowers and plants as far as the eyes can see. So if you want me to wear a dress it has to be on Naboo.” You explain and he nods.

“With the uncomfortable shoes?” He asks and you smirk, “We’ll see.” The two of you stare at each other a silence falling over you two its two magnetics coming together. His hand covers your eyes the other pulling off his helmet then his lips meet yours. He drops his hand seeing your eyes closed his hand wraps around your waist and pulls your closer while the other holds the back of your neck. Your hand plays with the back of his hair the other holds his face as you kiss him. It’s gentle but filled with passion as you both pour in your affection for each other. There wasn’t any room left between you two as he slightly bends over and you push yourself on your toes. You both pull away holding your face against his chest trying to catch your breath and you feel the rise and fall of his own chest. A pair of lips press against your hairline and you smile into his chest before you hear the metal hiss as his helmet is put back on. You pull back staring at the copper and white beskar as you feel his gaze on you his thumb strokes your cheek.

“I should go before Din starts his own hunting party.” You say a small chuckle comes from the two of you as he nods. He leans forward his forehead meeting yours, “I’ll see you tomorrow then mesh’la.” You pull away giving one last glance at him before you head back toward the group. You spot on the second level of the ship just before the group is you see the flash of silver beskar under the moonlight. Heading up the stairs spotting the familiar armor of Din and you’re silent as you join his side. He seems to have the same idea of lean against an object and pondering.

“You alright?” You ask and you can feel his brief glance at you before you both stare forward. “That boy…Kaz, is he your partner?” He asks and you're surprised by his question and more of his phrasing.

“Kaz and I aren’t together like that! I mean I don’t think so…we haven’t really talked about it.” You ramble as he looks over at you, “But you do like him.” You’re quiet now that you think about it you two discussed what you two were. Sure he said he liked you and you liked him but did that make you two together? It was all strange new territory that you had no guide to help you.

“I do...It’s just...I’ve never had this before..people like me like that,” You felt embarrassed what if you had it all wrong and this was just a big thing you thought it was. You bury your face in your hands, “Maker I’m so stupid..” Din leans on his arms on the railing looking at you.

“Do you feel like everything is going right that it’s meant to go wrong?” You voice your fear for only him to know, “I mean everything we’ve been through, Grogu and I get rescued by you and the Mandalorians--we get the bounty hunters to come after us, we get to meet Ahsoka and she can’t train us, we go to the seeing stone--the empire gets us, even on Tatooine we got Cobb and the people of Freetown and he almost died. Every time we get close to winning something horrible goes wrong,” Your tone gets slightly frantic all the possibilities making you more nervous.

“What if something happens to the Mandalorians, to Grogu, to Bo-Katan, or you!? I don’t know what to do if you’re gone-” “Hey calm down nothing’s going to happen,” Din grabs your shoulders making you look at him, “I promised you I was never leaving you and I’m not. Ever.” He reassures and you nod before he pulls you into his arms just holding you there. His chin rests on the top of your head nothing is said between the two of you but you could tell he meant every single one of his words.

“I love you, dad…” You say and he freezes slightly before his arms squeeze you tighter to him, “Love you too, kid.” He responds his voice thick with emotion. He was glad to have the beskar helmet on his head covering the tears in his eyes. Hearing the title you called him and the meaning of it to both you and him. Din would always be there for you, to protect you and care for you as a father would.

The following morning the landship returns to the Gauntlet so the Armorer and the weak Mandalorians can return to the fleet to be taken care of while the others lead you to where the Forge is. “Onward, Mandalorians! To the Forge!” The Captain yells to his crew as you set off. Sat on a crate beside Din you see most of the Mandalorians resting or waiting for the arrival of the forge. Two however play a game of chess. Vizsla grabs his enforcer making a flank jump and Woves sighs, “You can’t move an Enforcer like that.”

“It’s a flank jump. And you’re about to submit.” Vizsla says and Woves gives him a look, “But only the Wing Guard can flank jump.”

“The Enforcer moves like a Wing Guard when it’s flanking.” Vizsla retorts and Woves sighs shaking his head and turning to his companions with a laugh, “These primitives make up their own rules for everything.” Insulted by his accusation of cheating Vizsla draws out a vibroblade.

“Seriously?” “Submit or fight.” Vizsla demands to Woves who looks at the Mandalorian, “Can you believe this?” The two suddenly break into a brawl with their blades, punches, and kicks both getting their fair licks in.

“Should I step in?” Din questions and Bo-Katan shakes her head, “Neither side can step in. It was bound to happen sooner or later.” The two continue fighting both ready to strike each other with their blade when Grogu comes between them with IG-12 breaking up the fight as he spams the droid’s vocabulator,

“No. No. No. No. No. No. No.” The two men are silent before retracting and heading off to different sides of the deck, “You taught your apprentice well.” Bo-Katan comments and Din looks over at the child who is looking at the three of you,

“He didn’t learn that from me.”

A sharp whistle fills the air as the Mandalorian in the highest peak shouts down to the Captain, “There, on the starboard bow!” The ground crackles ahead of you all seeing the green glass shatter and some dragon-like monster appears from the ground its tail swinging down on all of you

“Abandon ship!” The Captain shouts and you feel arms wrap around your waist you quickly wrap your arms around their neck as you’re sent up into the air as the tail smashes into the ship it exploding in a ball of flames. Landing a distance away, Mandalorians land haphazardly around you as debris rains down on you and Din covers you with his body. He pulls back looking over you as people around you shout, “This way! This way!” “Hurry up! Faster!”

“You good?” He asks you and you nod you’re brought to slightly underneath the surface but the rocks above you shake falling around you, “We’re not far. We need to go further down.” The Captain yells and you’re all sent underground the rumbling of the creature that attacked you recedes the deeper down you went. The cave leads to a tunnel that opens up to a large open space.

“Where are we?” You ask looking at the enormous machines that lined the deep trench, “This is what’s left of the Great Forge. This was once the heart of our civilization. But the fires have been extinguished since the bombings.” Woves says as you walk alongside the small outlook showing the forge.

“You lived here?” Vizsla asks and Reeves glances at him, “We all did.”

“We never left,” The survivors’ captain adds, “Survived by migrating along the surface until the war ended. Some tried to explore below, but none survived.” The distant sound of jetpacks echoes through the cave and you see a multitude of them heading toward you all.

“Jet packs?” Din says confused, “More survivors?” Woves comments when you notice the design of the armor and a wave of panic rushes over you. That bad feeling of being close to winning and something going horribly wrong starting.

“Those aren’t Mandalorians.” You call out as they immediately take fire, ambushing you all, “They’re Imperials! Take cover.” All the Mandalorians take cover firing at them. Your saber pulls from your belt instantly deflecting blaster fire it hitting the armor in return but making no impact as they continue firing.

“They’re wearing beskar armor!” You shout as a few land before you and you dodge blaster fire spinning your blade around and aiming at spots not covered in the lightsaber-resistant metal. It’s harder combat against them, one grabs your hair pulling you towards the edge and a vibroblade is stabbed in the trooper's neck releasing you. Kaz’s hand pulls you to your side as you go back to back fighting against troopers that try to get the drop on you.

“We’re pinned down. We need backup.” Din shouts while fighting his own pair of troopers. Casualties happen on both sides as many questions run through your head through the battle. Where had they even come from?! You thought you were the only ones on Mandalore unless they were tracking you and followed.

“I can make a run for the fleet and get us reinforcements.” Woves volunteers firing at the troopers that are up in the air raining down on you all. “No, it’s too far.” Bo-Katan disagrees not wanting to lose any more men and women.

“I can make it. It’s our only shot at taking the planet back.” Woves pushes.

“There’s a split in the ceiling there.” Vizsla points at the opening leading to the surface and moves forward with his large machine gun, “I’ll lay down cover.” Blaster bolts are fired at the troopers some getting hit fatally as Woves takes off. One tries attacking him mid-flight when its armor is crushed quite violently and send falling to the ground. Making brief eye contact with you he continues and flees to the surface. You spin around stabbing your saber between the gaps of armor your free hand pushing out Force pushing them into the cavern. The dwindling troopers against the resistance you show make them retreat into another tunnel.

“They’re retreating!” Vizsla shouts as Bo-Katan reloads her blaster before rushing forward, “Advance.”

“For Mandalore!” The Mandalorians shout as you run alongside Kaz firing after the troopers, Din reaches your side as you suddenly leave rocky terrain and enter imperial flooring and walls. That sense of nerves adds weight to your chest the deeper into their base. The troopers fly off on the jetpacks leaving you all in the base. You take in the TIEs and Bombers that wait patiently to be deployed your fear only growing stronger. The Imps didn’t follow after you…they were here on Mandalore all this time, and with how much was here they must have been here since the Purge.

“What is this place?” Bo-Katan says as you look around when a door hisses shut and you spin around seeing all of everyone minus, yourself, Kaz, Din, and one other Mandalorian on the other side of the blast door. You raise your saber to cut through the door when you hear Din shout and an alarm goes off.

“It’s an ambush!” A squadron of Imperial commandos lands on the platform firing at the four of you. Spinning your blade to deflect blaster fire but it was too many as one takes down one of the Mandalorians. Din and Kaz fire their blasters at them when a fibercord whip wraps around Din’s neck yanking him back. “Din!” You shout barely dodging a blaster fire blocking the attack as he fires another cable wrapping around his wrist and he sends a wave of flames. You thrust your hand out crushing the trooper that was choking Din, his limbs snap in a horrid position as he crumbles to the ground. A loud cry fills the air and you feel the life drain from your body. Spinning around and seeing Kaz holding his hands to his side as he crumbles to the ground, you release a yell raising your saber to attack his perpetrator when a blaster rifle slams against your temple. Stars blind you as you hit the ground your saber falling out of your hands and your quickly jumped by three troopers. Their hands grab your arms and pin them behind your back as you thrash violently.

“Let me go! Kriffing let me go! You son of a bitch!” You shout feeling cuffs being placed around your wrist and you try calling your lightsaber but it remains laying on the floor. Your shouts fill the air as you see Kaz on his side his hands pressed to his side blood quickly spilling from his side, “No! stop it. Stop it! Kaz!” You cry out struggling more and your face is slammed into the ground and blood spills from your mouth and nose.

“Don’t you touch her!” Din roars seeing three of them manhandle you to the ground. He fights against his own restraints, the cable tightly around his neck and one on each wrist forcing his arms to cross his chest so he couldn’t use them as three troopers for him bringing him to his knees. Your gaze is focused on Kaz as he bleeds out, alive but losing blood too quickly. Someone lands on the platform seeing a person in Dark Trooper armor, the Mandalorian-style helmet with spikes on the crown similar to the Armorer.

“Disarm them.” A modulated voice calls out and you struggle in your assailants’ grasp as they remove your blaster and vibroblade from your holster. The Dark Trooper motions to the troopers restraining you and you’re pulled from laying on the ground to shoved on your knees as you fight in their grasp. You watch them grab their helmet removing it and the air leaves your body and it’s silent as you stare back at the man. Who tormented you, ruined your life, kidnapped, assaulted, and tried to murder you, the man you tried to kill but failed. He wasn’t meant to be here…this wasn’t real you would open your eyes and be back on Nevarro or at the Great Forge and you never got into a fight with the Empire. He wasn’t real..this wasn’t real. But when he spoke your worst nightmare was confirmed,

“Thank you for gathering the Mandalorians into one place,” He says, and you are unmoving. Moff Gideon was back. He finds delight in seeing the horror and pure terror in your expression as the Mandalorians behind the blast door has no choice but to watch. “You were a talented people, but your time has passed. However, as you can see, Mandalore will live on in me. Thanks to your planet’s rich resources, I have created the next-generation Dark Trooper suit forged from beskar alloy and the most impressive improvement is that it has me in it,” Gideon holds his hands out showing his suit off. If looks could kill Din would have killed Moff Gideon a billion times over, his gaze kept moving from Gideon, to Kaz who continues bleeding out, and you who was paralyzed in fear.

“You see, every society has something to offer. The cloners. The Jedi. And even the Mandalorians. By aggregating the best of each, I will create an army that will bring order to the galaxy.” Gideon felt power knowing his plan had worked and he had everyone where he wanted them to be. “Why don’t we take your fleet off the board while we still have the element of surprise? Activate the interceptors and bombers.” He orders and Bo-Katan slams her fist against the glass.

“No!” The Klaxon alarm blares as the Interceptors and Bombers are activating, “In but a few moments, the Purge of Mandalore will be complete.” Gideon grins and a harsh cough fills the air he looks down and spots the weak Mandalorian a few feet from you still kicking. You see Gideon’s gaze on Kaz and you go feral fighting harshly against their hands.

“Don’t you kriffing touch him! Leave him out of this!” You shout blood mixing with tears and your words and emotions reveal the one weak card he was willing to fully exploit. “Strip him of his armor.” He orders and the pair of troopers keeping guard moves forward as you scream for mercy they pull up the Mandalorian to his own knees as one holds him the other being pulled off his armor.

“Let him go! Stop it, please! If you want your heirs you can have them! Please let him go…please!” You shout out as Kaz cries out in pain as he’s stripped of his armor leaving his helmet on Gideon strides forward kneeling before you admiring the tears in your eyes and the blood that comes from your injuries. You hear Din yelling from behind you and Bo-Katan as well. Gideon grabs your chin forcing you to look at him and you feel sick staring at the man his touch sending you into shock.

“Unfortunately that offer is now off the table,” He rises back up and you see him walk towards Kaz not before reaching down and grabbing your saber as you scream and cry out realizing what he was going to do. Grabbing the Mandalorian by the chin of his helmet he rips it off him and you’re staring back at the man you had cared for, giving your heart to. His skin was pale but not sickly, his features sharp with a few cuts littering his perfect face. He was beautiful with short straight black hair you had felt in your hands but didn’t know the color of anything and his eyes piercing and blue like the clearest waters. They were filled with pain but also sadness as he looks at you and you see the acceptance in his gaze that sends you into a panic.

“Kaz, get up. Kaz, kriffing get up and fight. Please stop! Please don’t do this…I’ll do anything please don’t. I beg you!” You shout as he takes in your features one last time though tear-filled and bloody you still look beautiful in his eyes, “Kaz, please get up!”

“I love y-” The blade cleaves through his body and a scream of anguish rips through your throat. Kaz keeps staring at you until you see the life fade before you and Gideon as the boy you loved crumples to the ground.

“Nooo!” You were dead this wasn’t real. Screams and cries tear you apart as you hunch over in the troopers’ arms sobs raking through your body as the air is ripped from your body gasping for air. The Mandalorians behind the blast door and the one behind you are silently looking in horror as Gideon kills the love of your life and worse with the saber that was the symbol of your kind. The weapon of a jedi used to slay your lover. Your gaze was focused on Kaz’s lifeless one as he stared at you with those empty eyes already glossed over. “I’ll kriffing kill you...No! No...I’ll kill you.” You shout not a threat a promise with hatred in your voice. As Gideon holds your weapon in his grasp attaching it to his person.

“Take him to the debriefing room and bring the dear princess to the command center.” Gideon orders and Din is forced to his feet struggling in their grasp seeing the lifeless look in your eyes as you scream out into the air. He failed you, to keep you safe, to make sure you’re heart would never be broken. Din had seen you lose everything important to you and he knew you had lost a part of yourself with this final strike.

You’re pulled to your feet but you can’t stand weak and nauseous as they hold up your weight, “None of this would have occurred if you had accepted. He’s dead because of your actions, princess.” Gideon mocks you as you’re sent into a spiral sobs racking your body and hyperventilating from the shock that has taken over. You’re pulled as you cry out whispering to the man you failed. “i’m sorry…i’m sorry…i’m sorry.”

You didn’t see the meaning of waking up in the morning, a reason to smile, to eat, to breathe, to live. You had lost greatly and your heart could only take so much. His love with haunt you like a phantom, his touch burns and scars your skin, his kiss a mere memory, and his death will drown you until you too leave this plane of existence. You didn’t deserve happiness…you would never love again. You had nothing left in you to love. Your happiness, your love, and yourself had died right alongside him held in his arms with dead promises to visit the far-off planets you dreamed of.

A/N: I'm sorry🫣 Also for those wondering the face claim for Kaz is Freddy Carter. I live for Kaz Brekker so just picture that gorgeous man. One more chapter left!!

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