Losing you ; Joel Miller

x. Run, run, RUN

[three hours later]
EDEN

     " Eden?" The slurred voice of Cassie came from the other side of the door, Eden didn't react, staring up at a specific spot on her ceiling. " Please don't be mad, I know I fucked up-" Cassie interrupted herself with a hiccup, the blonde not even blinking as she heard her stumble and probably fall in the hallway. " But like- I knew you weren't going to do it, so I had to-" her words melted together into a drunken mumble, Eden just wanted to be alone. Why couldn't she just have one moment alone? Just one moment where she could lay sprawled out on her kitchen floor in peace.

     " I had to tell FEDRA where you were, it was the only way to get Robin in- please don't be mad at me, I love you-" Eden flew up from the floor when Cassie said that, eyes wide in panic as she listened to the drunk woman's confession. " ...FEDRA hates fireflies and you're... you're a firefly- why are they even called fireflies? That's such a stupid name."

     " What did you tell them, Cassie?" Eden's voice trembled when she stood by the door, not opening it yet. " No secrets I promise! Just your name... where you were... what you do... Eden please let me in I love you-"

     Backing away to the middle of her apartment, Eden's heart pounded as she collected her thoughts. They had to be coming for her, are they on their way? Are they here? Suddenly her legs started working, moving in autopilot as she sprinted around her home. Eden yanked her emergency backpack over her shoulder and took out her bow, arrows and gun from their designated hiding place. The drunken sobbing from Cassie about being sorry and how much she loved her, had been tuned out, sounding like white noise as one word raced through her mind. Run.

     After pushing furniture in front of her apartment door, Eden sprinted towards her bathroom, ears picking up the sound of guards yelling orders outside. Run.

     She pushed open the old window, eyes scanning the area to see that it was safe. Run.

     Shoes landing on the lid of a dumpster in the empty alleyway before soon meeting hard asphalt. Run.

     Feet moving as if they had a mind of their own, her not knowing where to go or who to trust. Run.

     The sound of FEDRA agents yelling as they tried to push through the barrier of furniture behind her door. Run.

Run...

Run...

RUN.

JOEL

     Pouring a glass of whiskey, Joel grumbled to himself about his latest fight with Tess. Ending with her swearing that she never wanted to see his face again. He couldn't wait to get drunk, to fall into a dreamless state where he could forget everything.

     " Jesus fuckin'... What?!" He grunted out loudly when someone desperately knocked on his door, his already sour mood worsening as he went to open it.

     " I need to use your radio" Eden had signed quickly as she pushed through him and welcomed herself into his apartment. " Come in... I guess" Joel sarcastically said as he turned to look at the blonde. She looked skittish, looking out at the road before closing his curtains shut. His face twisted with confusion as he saw the backpack hanging from her shoulders.

     " Hold on- calm down, what is going on?" His rough hands had moved to cup her cheeks, forcing her to look up at him, his face fell when he saw her tears. " Cassie sold me out- FEDRA is looking for me" her hands shook as she signed. Eden's eyes were filled with fear, her breathing irregular as her hands reached out grip onto something. That ended up being him.

     Joel wasn't particularly used to physical contact, the hug throwing him off for a second, but feeling Eden's body quiver as her fingers fisted into his shirt made his heart ache. " It's going to be ok, you're safe here..." you're safe with me.

Joel showed her where the radio was, moving to the sofa to give her space, his mind buzzing with thoughts. What was going to happen now? Joel's gut clenched at the idea of FEDRA getting to Eden.

     After a few minutes, Eden sat down in front of him, her nose and cheeks still a bit red from crying. " I contacted Marlene through a radio transmitter, she sent coordinates to a safe house outside the QZ" Joel noticed that Eden's hands were still shaking, the adrenaline probably still coursing through her body. He nodded slowly, he had just gotten her back, and now she was leaving again.

     " I'm joining" Joel said after a minute of silence, the " pardon?" Eden had signed back wasn't because she hadn't heard him, but because she didn't think he was crazy enough to say something like that. " I'm joinin' you to the safe house" Joel repeated, eyes fixed on hers.

     Eden laughed at that, like he had said the funniest joke ever. " You've officially lost your mind" she replied, letting out a snort. " Maybe, but I'm still gonna follow you" Joel thought back to Tommy's statement at the secret firefly tunnel,

you'd follow him to the end of the world.

It wasn't true, at least not for Eden, but Joel knew that he'd follow her to the end of the world. Hell, if she told him to jump, he'd jump, no questions asked.

Honey is typing...
if someone asked joel "if eden was going to jump off a building, would you jump too?" he would immediately say yes

idk if this chapter feels rushed or if I just started channeling eden as I wrote her escape shhshs anyways hope you guys like it :>