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Joel Miller - Troubles Part 1.

(Requested by sufferhysteria, make sure to give them a follow and a thank you as this will be the third one-shot done with Joel, You're all thirsty but lets do this! this will only be a two-parter.)

Your POV. Two years before Ellie.

The sunrise in Boston was usually a nice sight without the addled scent of booze and meds stinking up my apartment, if you could even call it that. It was apparently new years last night and Fedra seemed in a good enough mood to let people celebrate. I lean up in my bed, the covers strewn across the room as I look to my right and see the familiar empty space.

I sigh, missing the good old days of getting lucky and warm at the same time, but those days are behind me now. I trudge out of bed, still in my clothes from the night before and making my way to the sink, trying the tap and hearing a creak before a single drop comes out.

"Perfect"

I discard the cup I planned on filling and fling it through my window, making the glass shatter and fall down below two stories. I run my thumbs through my eyes in frustration, the drink catching up with me as the pounding of my front door runs through my entire body.

"Alright! Quit knocking already!" I storm to the door and swing it open looking at the familiar faces staring at me, Joel and Tess. Today was starting to shape into trouble now that these two are stranded on my doorstep.

"Hey (Y/N). Good new year?" Tess speaks up, her tongue rolling over her teeth, just like her to be impatient at this hour of morning.

"Piss off"

I leave the door open as the leftovers from last nights "party" was just scraping themselves off the floor before I give them an encouraging kick to the ass.

"Out, now!" The sound of my own voice cut me as the headache only grows in strength. I see Joel close the door before sighing to himself, staying quiet as per usual.

"You look like you could use these huh?" I peek through my fingers to see her rattling a bag full of with prescription pills, Painkillers. I go to grab them but she holds them hostage from me as the splitting pain sends a murderous rage down my throat and spine.

"Tess...don't play with me right now..." I threaten as I watch Joel intently, he was like her lapdog these days, following orders when his muscles could actually be used for some good, whatever that may be.

"This isn't a game, I'm here for a job, a job that only I can do and this lug wont let me go in alone...which is why he's going to crash here while I'm away"

"Excuse me?!" Joel and I seem to have the same idea of shock as she blurts it out like it was no big deal.

"Fedra won't let him stay in my apartment without me there to verify him...He doesn't have anywhere else that may take him." She starts her spiel with the puppy dog eyes, but I wasn't buying it.

"Add mine to the list then, its not like we're best friends Tess, why would I risk my ass for a few measly pills that'll get rid of a pain that'll leave in a couple hours?" I blurt, rubbing a temple before she shakes her head, her foot tapping as she tries to think her way out of a deal...but she relents.

"10%" she says, I scoff.

"20"

"No way, 15%"

"15% and I get to keep one of whatever you're smuggling...and by that fire in your eyes, I'm betting its guns, got a deal?" We barter and when I finally get a deal I was happy with, she agrees. Joel sits fuming in the corner, rubbing his pistol nervously as I eye him from head to toe. He didn't look too mangy today, his beard was cleaner than I'd seen before and his hair had been cut, newer shirt than the one I'd seen him in for months, ketchup stains and gunpower strewn along the hem of his old shirt like a pie crust.