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Joel had met you in Jackson, you had been raised there since you were a young teen. Joel had shown up when you were celebrating your 27th birthday and you tried your absolute best to not practically drool over the man. He was the talk of the town, between girls and guys. But he was gone by the next day. Part of you wondered why the hell he came and then just left with the young girl he brought, but it wasn’t like you could ask him. So you waited till he came back, and made him a ‘welcome basket’ (being was just coffee) He gracefully accepted it and invited you in for a cup
After you two started to spend most of your time together, Joel started taking you on patrol with him and Ellie. One time, the one fucking time he leaves Ellie at home everything goes to shit.
It started like any good patrol, you two got to the town in one piece, and to the mall. He always went into stores first, checking behind every damn thing. He knew if by some miracle he was bit, you’d watch over Ellie and make sure Tommy was okay. You’d protect his family for him.
While you two were clearing out the grocery store at the very bottom of the mall, Joel clearing out the food and you clearing the other shelves. You two were both laughing and just enjoying the time. It was hard to find time to yourself.
On the way out of the shop with your bags full, you heard the groaning of a runner. Before you could call out to Joel it lunged at you, taking a chunk of your shoulder. You screamed out in pain, pushing it away with your other arm. Joel wasn’t far behind to kill it, and for a split second, you could tell he wanted to aim his gun at you.
Joel helped you up and got both of you the fuck out of there. Adrenaline filled your body as you felt the warm blood fall down your shirt. When you two got back to the truck he helped you put the bags into the bed of the truck, then cocked his gun and pointed it at you “It was supposed to be me. You were supposed’ta watch over Ellie when I died, now who the fuck else is going to watch her?! Tommy? He’s got his own shit!”
You froze and put your hands up “No Joel- Look I’m okay!” You weren’t sure how the fuck to explain it to him. “Joel I’m about to toss you my gun and knife. Don’t you fucking shoot me” He took his finger off the trigger for a second. You took out your gun and knife, tossing them to him. You undid your belt and slid down your jeans, showing an old bite scar, just like Ellie’s, plastered on your thigh.
Joel kept his gun on you while he got closer, inspecting the scar. “You’re fuckin’ with me. You’re fuckin’ with me!” He knew Ellie was immune, but more immune people? It wasn’t possible, there was no way. He put his gun back up to you “I’m not lettin’ you hurt Ellie”
You kept your hands up as you cried out “I’m not going to hurt her! She’s like a kid to me- Please Joel just trust me…” He wanted to, more than anything. He wanted to trust the face he fell in love with, the eyes that never lied to him, the mouth that would ramble his ears off. But he didn’t know who to trust anymore. With his luck you could die quick by him, slow by turning because you lied, or not at all because you told the truth. The situation was fucking with his head.
Joel grabbed your wrist and drug you up to a store that had the one entrance. He locked the doors and zip tied you to a pole “Say you’re telling the truth, you’ll still be here by mornin’. If you’re lying I’m letting you fuckin’ turn and leaving your ass here” You nodded as Joel sat across from you with his gun still point blank to your head. You knew he wasn’t joking.
Come morning you were fine, not a single sign that you were infected. Joel was still in the same spot when you woke up, gun still in his hand but it was more towards the floor now. “Fuck..” You were still on edge with his gun out, but it was better at the floor than your head. “I wasn’t lying see?” You moved your shirt around to show the bite on your shoulder “I saw. I was lookin’ all night”
Joel put his gun away and uncut you from the pole, immediately getting down to your level, cupping your cheeks and kissing you so gently you’d wonder if your lips actually touched. “I was so fuckin’ scared of losin’ you. I thought I’d have to kill you and tell Ellie why the hell your blood as all over me. She’d hate me even more” Joel spoke with his lips still right in front of yours “Don’t fuckin’ scare me like that again”