Lilium || A The Last of Us story.

Day 5 of 6

Is there anything better than being woken up with kisses?

Lily couldn't think of a single thing better than being woke up showered in soft ticklish kisses. 

"Mmmm, good morning." She said sleepily, rolling onto her back, her eyes fluttered open smiling immediately as she saw Joel propped up on his elbow leaning over her.

Joel slid his arm under her frame, pulling her deep against his bare chest. "It's not quite morning, I couldn't sleep and you looked so good lying there," He nestled his nose in the crook of her neck inhaling every last drop of her, "how's the hand?"

Lily held it out in front of her, "Y'know, it feels much better." She peeled back the bandage slightly, "still a little tender."

Her gut began to knot, remembering what the day was. As though he could sense her anxiety, Joel began humming a little tune.

"Thats nice." Lily said through a soft, barely audible whimper. Tears trickling down her face.

Joel cleared his throat, "Do you remember the last meal you had before everything went to shit?"

Lily's brows contracted, "I uhh, I mean I was 10..." she paused for a moment to think back, "yeah, it was a double cheeseburger, fries and a coke from McDonalds. It was my birthday treat."

Joel stopped breathing, there was no way.
"You're joking, right?"

"I know, it's grim. I'd kill for one right now though." She said on a breathy laugh. She turned on her front holding her head up with her hands, "What was your last meal?"

"Sarah made me eggs, birthday breakfast eggs. It's not my last meal, I probably had a shitty sandwich from a deli on my lunch break. But I remember the eggs," A sad nostalgic smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, "and the shell." He said through teary eyes.

Lily waited until he finished what he was saying, not wanting to interrupt the sad beauty of his memory, but she had to address the revelation.
"Joel, do we share a birthday?" She asked nervously.

Joel gulped, "26th of September. I'm twenty five years older than you." Beads of sweat built on his brow, nauseous.

Lily giggled, pulling herself onto his chest. Tracing the freckled skin with her fingers, "Stop focusing the age thing so much. I'm an adult—"

"You're vulnerable, I've taken advantage of you." He interrupted pulling his head back to look up at the ceiling, anything to stop himself from getting lost in those decedent chocolate eyes.

Lily, grabbing his chin pulled him down to meet her gaze, "No one has ever treated me with the kindness and love that you have, you make me feel safe and wanted."

Joel groaned painfully, pinching his brow, "Have I groomed you?"

"Stop it!" Lily laughed, "Stop thinking of it that way. The heart wants what the hearts wants, and I don't know about yours, but mines yearns for you."

His heart ached for her, he loved her. Completely. But he would always feel just a little bit guilty about how her adulthood began, and he would never be able to change that for her, or fix it. But he would sure as hell treat her like the most precious being in the world, because to him, that's exactly what she was.

"If you wake up one day and decide that this isn't what you want, I won't stop you. I won't fight for you. I want everything in your life to be your own choice. Do you understand?" Joel's voice was firm, but gentle.

Lily's cheeks ached with a smile as she nodded, "Yes Sir, I understand."

Joel's chest heaved as he let out a self-deprecating laugh, "Please don't ever call me 'sir' again." He leaned in and kissed her soft, plush lips, savoring the moment.