Ignite (ElliexFemale!Reader)

II

AN; Thought i'd share this that i've been listening to on repeat all day^ Ashley's voice is just.. wow
——

Maria told me not to be late. But i must be when i hear my door almost breaking in. Usually, i'd jolt up and stumble to over in a rushed panic. But today, my head is weighed down by a nauseating ache and my body is prisoner to lethargy.

"one minute" i grunt, peeling myself from the bed and sluggishly walking over. My fingers search for the key, struggling as my eyes are blurred with fatigue. As soon as i twist the door unlocked, it's pushed open by whoever on the other side.

"why did you lock it?" she asks, "you never lock it"

I rub one of my eyes, keeping well away from the bruised one, as her words echo aimlessly in my tired mind.

"Ellie?" i ask, confused, "why're you here?"

"holy shit" She ignores my question and invites herself in, taking me with her as she wraps her chilled hand around my arm. I'm placed back on my bed and let her inspect me.

"You look even worse than last night. how's the pain?" she asks after a few moments of examining.

"fine" i reply bluntly, too stubborn to admit the unrelenting sting still there.

Ellie's eyes swiftly divert to my own, holding contact for a few seconds. It's easy for her to realise i'm lying, "maybe you should stay in today" She tells me, using her finger to gently traipse over of the cuts on my cheek. Cat's stupid rings must've done that.

The warm feeling from her touch comes back again. i need to move away.

"Fuck no" i protest, "Cat would think i was hiding or something. Maria said i have to go on patrol with Jesse anyway and you're gonna make me late so move" i jokingly push Ellie's hands from my face, an easy escape from her touch, and start getting myself together.

I wish i didn't have to move away, i wish i could let her look after me without my feelings becoming too much.

"You're actually stuck with me today. I swapped with Jesse so.." She gives me my favourite smile of hers, using her hand to rub the back of her neck.

"Maria actually let you do that?"

"i have my ways" Ellie laughs, "i told her i'd try to knock some sense into you, but looks like my girlfriend already did that"

ouch.

"fuck you, williams" i laugh it off, "you said yourself she looks worse"

She giggles, making herself comfortable on my bed whilst i start to get ready. I decide to avoid the mirror. If i look even worse today, i can't bare to think how bad it is.

My room is just as much of a mess as me. Clothes are balled together in heaving piles and my several pairs of boots are scattered all over. I just choose to put on whatever i find first.

"you've been using it then?" I hear Ellie's voice from behind me after a few minutes of nothing but noises of me getting ready.

"what?" i turn, perplexed, and see it.

Fuck.

Ellie's holding the book she gave me. The book i spewed all of my anger out on last night after scrawling out the first page, the book i used to confess all of my feelings on the pages i still haven't destroyed. 

I practically pounce onto the girl, tearing it from her grasp before tossing it to the other end of the room.

"relax y/n, i wasn't going to read it" she chuckles, eyebrows raised at my sudden reaction.

I realise i'm basically on top of her and so i retreat backwards quickly, "sorry" i force a laugh, "just some embarrassing stuff in there"

"oh, like what? you got a secret crush you wanna tell me about?"

"what, are we twelve? of course not"

If only you knew Ellie Williams.

*

Before the sun is fully exposed, reluctantly resurfacing over the horizon, we've already left. Ellie on Shimmer, me on my own horse, Pepper - Joel gave him his name, inspired by the grey spots flecked all over his white coat.

Patrols with Ellie are peaceful; The tranquility as the snow absorbs almost all sounds, the refreshing breeze whisking away the remainder of the night, the serenity as Ellie gently hums whatever the song she's learning on her guitar, are all things i can only experience with her. With anyone else, it's just not the same.

The calm lasts for a while until we're confronted with our reality. A lone infected emerges from behind one of the pine trees, dragging itself towards us. They're so weird in the cold. Their movements are all delayed as if they're glitching, not quite caught up with the simulation. It's like their bones are fusing together from the freezing temperatures, slowly paralysing them. Even the noises they make are contorted.

"i've got it" Ellie confirms as i reach for my machete. I roll my eyes, wanting to claim the kill but i know she'd beat me to it even if i tried.

All without getting off Shimmer, she slides out an arrow and loads her bow swiftly. Within seconds she's released it and, as expected, it pierces straight through the infected's skull. The corpse sways and drops downwards, tarnishing the snow with its blood. What was once pristine, like fresh linen stretched over the earthy bed, has now been stained, disturbed.

"you still need to teach me how to use that thing" i say, getting off of my own horse to collect the arrow for her. It's the small things i like to do.

"it's not something that can be taught. You just have to have the skill. and you definitely do not have it" she replies provocatively.

"yeah right" i laugh, "you're just scared i'll be better"

"never" Ellie scoffs, taking the arrow from my hand with a smirk.

I pull myself back onto Pepper and continue leading the way. Despite the slight inconvenience, the serenity soon returns. The glacial air seems to soothe my skin, taming the pain slightly. Every so often i'll allow a small glance at Ellie, who's lingering closely behind, and she'll give me a reassuring smile. We often travel in silence like this. Her company alone is enough for me.

Before long, we encounter the building we were sent to confirm it's safety. The muted gargle of infected is heard nearby, accompanied by maybe one or two clickers. They sound like clocks ticking abnormally, or maybe a timed bomb just waiting to go off. It's nothing we haven't already managed before, and yet i still feel like everything is about to explode. I slide off of Pepper, guiding him to a sheltered area and securing him to a wooden post. Ellie mirrors my actions and then comes to my side, so close i feel the warmth radiating off of her. One discreet step away is enough to control my feelings.

"you ready?" i ask, securing my machete in my palm. My speciality is killing the infected without needing bullets - only because i have terrible aim with a gun.

Ellie nods silently and begins to follow the sound of the dead.