TEN MILES WEST of Boston, Joel sat by the edge of the river. He reached down into the water and picked up rocks, solemnly stacking them into a cairn. He looked across the river in silence, thinking of the partner he just lost.
Meanwhile, Y/N was with Ellie at their camp a ways away. The young man sat against a tree, sharpening the hatchet he had for what seemed to be almost half an hour.
He had been quiet the entire time as Ellie sat nearby and wallowed in silence as well. Although she had a coat on, the girl also had Joel's jacket draped over her legs to combat the cold.
The cold didn't bother Y/N. He still had his gray short-sleeved t-shirt and cargo pants. His jacket was strung up on a branch so it could dry since it rained the night before. His Firefly pendant hung from his neck as he leaned over and kept sharpening.
After he was done, he took out his yellow bandana and used it to wipe the metal. He stared at the hatchet for a moment. Y/N huffed and slammed it down on the log nearby before leaning back against the tree.
Ellie looked at Y/N. There was a moment of quiet before the girl chose to speak up.
"Uh...look, about your mom..."
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"She wasn't my mom." Y/N interjected, folding the bandanna and placing it back into his pocket. He knew she was mentioning Tess. "At—At least not by blood."
Y/N exhaled and sat up, resting his elbows on his knees. The man continued.
"She was just there since the start. She basically helped raise me when she didn't have to. So..."
Ellie felt for the young man. She looked down at her hands and fiddled with her fingers.
"That was nice of her. I...I never got to see my mom." Ellie admitted. "They told me she died right when I was born."
Y/N looked over at the teenager, nodding then glancing down toward the dirt.
"I guess we have something in common."
Ellie thought about asking about what he said, but that's when Joel finally arrived and walked by the two. He went over to his bag by a tree and rummaged through it.
"You want your jacket back?" Ellie asked him.
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