Death With Dignity - The Last Of Us

Chapter Three - Skin on Skin

After their mishap at the clinic, Steven and Joel were on the move pretty quickly, their only goal was to make it out of this mess of a city by nightfall. They'd meet it hopefully, and even more hopefully they'd find something more than a car to sleep in.

In contrast to Steven leading the way they're both now side by side, the boy was the one to gently grasp Joel's hand as they walked forward. He thought maybe the older man would think it was childish but he instead held on just as tight to his partner.

"Have you been married before?" Steven asked breaking the silence that seemed almost inevitable.
"Once. Dated a bit. Never got close wit' any of 'em." Joel responded. Hoping that maybe that'll change.
"Why not?"
"Don't know. Didn't really try too."

Steven could sympathize with the man even though he didn't know exactly what he was feeling. He could relate to feeling kind of lost romantically, he was lost for a while. Steven lost his virginity at the age of twenty-three, with a boy he met in the sanctuary. It just kind of happened, they were just kind of pent up from being alone for so long he assumes. Since then he's slept with some men that he could count on his fingers. He wasn't even really into it for some guys he just did it for a favor, boredom, or even the feeling he needed to.

Joel was similar but a bit more experienced, it'd be fair to even call him an expert. Joel lost his virginity at the age of eighteen to a random girl at his prom, he isn't proud of the experience and largely regrets it.

He however has had a multitude of flings and hookups throughout the years. He's only ever been in two serious relationships though, his ex-wife and a man when he was much younger, neither lasted.

After the outbreak Joel had a dry period from 2020 to the present day, he doesn't know why. As they both made their way through an abandoned neighborhood Joel realized that they should probably hunker down for the night.

"Let's stay here tonight, one of these houses has to be livable," Joel exclaimed as they stood center in a cul-de-sac surrounded by five middle-class homes.

Steven started to look at them one by one, the first one had a huge missing section of the wall leading to the front yard so that's a no. Most of the houses were pretty beat up but the house next to the middle home was just alright looking.
"That one looks decent," Steven claimed pointing at the home.
"Yeah." Joel hummed as they made their way to the front door that was locked, this problem was immediately solved when a window directly to the right of the door was found to be unlocked.

Steven smirked as he slid it open and cautiously slipped inside the home. It looked almost untouched, it was however quite cold, Steven shivered as he opened the front door for them.

The night went well, they lucked out in finding a bathtub full of water that was cold but bearable, a king-sized bed in a bedroom with a fireplace, and even some canned food. They however didn't luck out when it came to the number of rooms because the only other room was a nursery full of baby stuff complete with a crib. Steven asked Joel pretty quick to sleep in his room and it wasn't even an argument.

After bathing they both separately looked through the closets around the house and found some stuff to wear to bed. This gave them time to rinse their other clothes in their used bath and hang them to dry above the fire. Steven even found a nice blanket.

The fire made the room feel cozy, the comforter was warm and fuzzy and for a night they felt like life was normal. If they ignored the trails of blood littered around the home. And the dust and moss. Which they did. Steven laid down inside the comforter as Joel slithered underneath as well, they at first were back to back but it changed pretty fast.

"Do you mind a little spooning?" Joel whispered in an unexpectedly sensual tone as he wrapped his arm around Steven's stomach and placed his second under his head. Steven soon felt the older man's body pressed against his own and it was genuinely hard to keep himself gathered.