Silent Death - The Last Of Us

Chapter Eleven: I Be Wed

- FIVE YEARS EARLIER -

The grass waved in the wind, the sound of blades rubbing together filling the late summer air. Not a single infected in sight. No gunfire. No bloodshed. Just... peace.

Jaden sat outside, reading a book without a cover. Just a wad of pages. He's about halfway through the story and he still had no clue what the book was called. All he knew was it was about a whale named Moby Dick, and it was written by someone named Herman Melville.

It was an interesting book. But kind of stupid at the same time. Whales don't eat people, their throats are too small to ever eat something bigger than shrimp and krill.

"Hey." Joel said, appearing beside Jaden. Looking down at him as the smaller man peered up, the sun shadowing Joel; he looked almost angelic in the sunlight. "I wanna show you somethin."
"What is it?" Jaden shut his coverless book, smiling.
"It's a surprise. Follow me."

Jaden hopped up, following with excitement as Joel led him into the forest. Strangely Joel was carrying a guitar case with him as he led his boyfriend into the foliage.
"Where are you taking me?" Jaden asked with a chuckle, stumbling through a tall patch of grass.
"I told you it's a surprise."

Then he stopped, pushing apart a few branches as Jaden found himself on the edge of a cliff. Overlooking the Rocky Mountain's with a breathtaking view. Each crest of the mountains outlined in orange sunlight, birds flying around in sync. The air warm and cozy.
"Oh my god..." Jaden mumbled, sitting on the edge of the cliff as Joel joined him. Shoulder to shoulder. Legs dangling fifty feet from the ground.

"Y'know I've been... workin' on a little something," Joel opened the case as he pulled a guitar into his lap, "Promise you won't laugh?" He strummed the instrument as Jaden nodded.  Joel closed his eyes, clearing his throat before suddenly,

"Look into my eyes. You will see what you mean to me. Search your heart. Search your soul. And when you find me there you'll search no more. Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for. Don't tell me it's not worth dyin' for. You know it's true. Everything I do. I do it for you," Joel sang.

Jaden paused in his tracks, stunned at the sound and sight of Joel singing to him. Something so raw. It didn't matter he wasn't necessarily a good singer. He could care less about all of that. All that mattered was that Joel is singing to him. Something so beautiful it made him want to cry. "Look into your heart. You will find. There's nothin' there t'hide. Take me as I am. Take my life. I would give it all, I would sacrifice. Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for. Don't tell me it's not worth dyin' for. Everything I do. I do it for you."

Joel then set the guitar down onto the rocks. Nervously looking up at Jaden as he started to worry. Oh god he didn't like it?
"Sorry. It was stupid." Joel backpedaled nervously. Scratching his neck as he scoffed.
"No. It was... perfect." Joel perked up, immediately taken as Jaden planted a kiss onto his lips.

Joel had another thing up his sleeve. Before they came out here Joel made a plan, if Jaden liked the song. Out came the box. If he didn't he'd leave the box in his pocket. And considering Jaden said it was perfect, out comes the small black box. Of which held a beautiful ring.

It was a nightmare finding an engagement ring. Or just a ring in general. Joel had to find out his boyfriend's ring size in his sleep. Run around and try and find a ring that would look good and fit simultaneously. Before the world ended you could just go to the store and buy a ring that fit perfectly. But not anymore.