Tough and Weak 𖣘 Joel Dawson x Reader

011 ||This is Me||

[Joel's POV]

I was working on a new bug drawing for my sketchbook. I looked across from me and saw Y/n laughing with Minnow. I liked seeing her happy. It was different. A good different. I even caught myself smiling at hers.

On this long journey, Y/n had shown a side of her I didn't know she had, a nice and happy side as opposed to a stern and annoyed one.

As I was adding the shading on my drawing, Clyde asked:

"What are you working on, man?"

"Just a little project I started working on in my colony." I answered. "Every time we would encounter a new monster, I would just make a little entry. A drawing, just some info about it, made me feel like I was helping out, you know."

"You're a pretty good artist."

"Thanks." I turned the page, looking through the drawings.

"I've seen this one. Ugly bastard. It don't  like loud noises. Also doesn't like shotgun blasts to the head. Might wanna add that."

"Shotgun to the face," I muttered while scribbling it down. "Yeah. Got it,"

"Do you mind if I..."

"Sure," I handed Clyde the book.

"Oh wow,"

"I was 16 when it hit," I told him.

"Yeah, they sent everything up at once to take her down. They had the balls to call us the lucky ones just 'cause whatever the hell was in those things didn't affect us. Ain't nothing lucky about getting kicked off the top of the food chain."

"Yeah, my parents thought if we could... just make it out of Fairfield, we might have a shot."

"Wait, wait, wait." He stopped me. "You're from Fairfield?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked, curious.

"Man, I've never met anyone who made it out of Fairfield. That place was basically ground zero. Shit, I've only heard horror stories."

"Yeah, it was pretty bad." I felt tears forming in my eyes.

"Your parents, uh..."

"No, it's just me. I couldn't save them."

"Are you putting that on yourself?" I nodded.

"You're from Fairfield, man, you shouldn't even be here. Right? You're more of a survivor than I thought."

"That's the coolest thing anyone's ever said to me." I started crying.

"Keep it up. This could save someone's life someday." Clyde handed me back the book.

"Thanks,"

"Are you sure your girl's worth it? Coming all this way?"

"Yeah, she is," I said.

"I just don't see why you're going to a girl 80 miles away when you have one right in front of you." Clyde motioned to Y/n who was still talking to Minnow.

"Y/n's just a friend," I looked down.

"With the way she looks at you? She might be more." Clyde patted me on the back before walking away.

[Y/n's POV]

Minnow and I were sitting a good distance away from Joel so he wouldn't hear us talking. And unfortunately, Minnow caught me staring at Joel.

"You like him don't you?" She asked me.

"What are you talking about, Minnow?" I blushed.

"I see how you look at him. And that look is desperate, so don't try to hide that blush on your face," Minnow poked my cheek as she giggled.

"He has a girlfriend, Minnow. He seems pretty desperate."

"Then why didn't he take his eyes off you when the Boulder Snail came?" She pushed.

"Probably because he knows me the best. Why else would he look at me?" I told her.

She huffed.

"Go over to him and tell him how you feel, because Jenner Beach isn't that far away and I would prefer to see you and Joel together than his girlfriend."

"Minnow," I faced her. "Even if I wanted to talk to Joel, I can't, he's talking to Clyde."

"Not anymore," She sing-songed. I looked towards Joel and Clyde, Clyde was indeed, leaving Joel. Damnit, Clyde! "Now, go," She started pushing me.

"Okay, okay,"

I walked over to Joel with my palms sweating. I can't believe an eight-year-old convinced me to do this. I sat beside Joel, he was looking at a page in his sketchbook.

"Hey,"

"Hi," He looked over to me. I then realized how close I had sat to him. I scooted over a little bit so our faces were a little more distanced. I then noticed the drawing he was looking at. It was one of the Giant Frog, Boy and I.

"Where are you?" I pointed to the drawing.

"Huh?" He asked me, his voice cracking at the end.

"You technically saved me. And we are an iconic trio," I laughed. "Not that I don't like being labelled as 'badass girl'" I readout. Joel chuckled.

There was a long, awkward pause between us.

"I'm sorry," I suddenly spoke out.

"F-for what?"

"I was kind of an asshole to you in our colony."

"Oh, yeah, it's okay-"

"No, it's not." I cut him off. "I mean, if I'm being honest I was jealous of you,"

"You...you," he dragged the last you and pointed at me with his punted finger. "were jealous of me?" He asked, confused.

"You have Aimee, and I have no one now," I confessed.

"Now?"

"I had a boyfriend, believe it or not. He died, trying to save me. His name was Tom." I started explaining, my gaze held on the fire. "He ran after a ginormous beetle. I could have saved him, too. But I just stood there and watched him. That's why when you started freezing I called you weak because I knew you were so much stronger and—"Tears started pouring down my face. Joel comfortingly put his arm around me and I nuzzled my face into his arm. "And I didn't want you to blame yourself if someone died."

"Was-Was this his shirt?" I could hear Joel's voice cracked.

"Yeah," Was all I managed to say.

"Why would you give it to me?" I pulled away from his embrace.

"I guess you needed it more than I did... I used to use it as a blanket in the beginning, when it smelled like him... Stupid, right?"

"Not at all," Joel looked at me. "Honestly, never thought you would ever say something that sincere to me," Joel joked.

"You just ruined the moment," I laughed while wiping snot off of my upper lip.

And that's when I knew. I was falling in love with Joel Dawson.

[Joel's POV]

Dear Aimee,

I think I might be falling in love with Y/n L/n.