The last of us x reader one shots

you're hurt from a patrol- J.M

Description- you come home hurt after a patrol with Ellie, both looking and feeling like utter shit. despite your stubborn protests, Joel helps you clean up anyways.

Warnings- none <3

Date published- 22/7/24

Word count- 949 words

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

(second person)

when you walked into your shared house from a supply run with your outfit covered in a mix of mud and blood, and scratches and bruises all over you, god the look on Joel's face...

even though you insisted you were fine, he practically dragged you onto  the sofa and made you sit down.

he quickly got a first aid kit from the kitchen and crouched down besides where you were sitting, gently cleaning each cut from your face.

"you okay?" he mutter in that gruff tone but also soft filled with a texas accent that you've grown to know and love.

but you can tell he's holding back the urge to lecture you about being more careful on patrols, probably because you look like you've clearly been through enough.

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

(first person)

"yeah.. yeah i'm fine." i nod through my tears as his hand gently glides a cloth with alcohol on it across a gash on my cheek.

"don't look fine." he grumbles simply, clearly trying to act indifferent but the slight softness in his eyes makes it clear that he cares about me.

wether he'll ever say it or not is a different question though.

we've known each other for years. ever since we were practically forced to bring Ellie across the country. things went to shit, to put it bluntly. is deciding to kill an entire hospital of fireflies just to save one girl...

but i'd do it all again. and i know he would too. losing his daughter fucked him up and i know that; he just couldn't lose another person he loved. and neither could i.

a silence falls over us as he cleans me up, broken by only an occasional sniffle from me.

"so you gonna tell me what happened or just keep me guessing?" Joel clears his throat and speaks up, trying to ease the tension with a joke.

"keep you guessing?" i utter sarcastically and his eyes meet mine with a warning look.

"i'm kidding. me and Ellie ran into a bloater down at the south trails." i murmur, trying to keep still as he puts small strips of tape over the cut on my cheek.

"bloater??" his eyes instantly snap to mine once more in concern.

"i'm fine. seriously." i say firmly, giving him a comforting look.

"fine? you look like shit y/n!" joel scoffs in disbelief and lets go of my face as he stands back up.

"thanks." i smile sarcastically.

"how the fuck was there a bloater? the south trails are nearly always clear. you ain't bit are you?" he starts to ramble on, cutting me off.

"joel- i said i'm fine. i'm clean." i roll my eyes and stand up too, wincing slightly.

that seems to snap him out of it, hearing my noise of pain he instantly gently grabs onto my arms and sits me back down.

"what hurts?" he sighs.
"just my ankle." i murmur back.

"probably just a sprain. let me have a look." he grunts softly and sits down next to me.

he delicately takes my boot off of my injured ankle, putting it in his lap as he looks over my slightly swollen ankle.

"just a sprain." he murmurs as he gently checks over it.

"good. think i'd die if i couldn't go on patrol runs." i breathe a sigh of relief.

"not so quick." he says firmly, patting my ankle gently.

"what actually happened? did you trip?" he furrows his eyebrows subconsciously as his gaze burns through into mine.

"a horde of runners and clickers attacked us, we had to go a different route to escape the bloater. it was the mall a couple miles west of the normal route. hadn't been cleared out before, apparently." i shake my head.

"and sorry to break it to you, sweetheart." he says the pet name sarcastically but i can tell he's just using it as an excuse to actually use one on me.
"but you'll need to stay off of that ankle for at least a couple of days." he continues.

"fuck. really?" i groan.

"this isn't a death sentence, you stubborn ass." he rolls his eyes, gently rubbing my ankle that's still casually propped on his thigh.

"yeah well it feels like one." i scoff and cross my arms, not really caring that i'm being a bit childish.

"he thankful you lived." he huffs.

"i'm very thankful. i was just supposed to be going on patrol like every other day this week coming." i grumble.

"i'll cover for you, y/n. and when i can't or just need to com' look after you, i'll get Maria to change things around. relax." he speaks firmly, and i can't help but slightly smile at his words.

"you don't need to do that. i can look after myself." i mumble, feeling slightly awkward with all these emotions flying round.

"i know. now have a shower and change your clothes, you have blood everywhere. i'll go put on some dinner." Joel says without any room for arguments, patting my knee and standing up, walking into the kitchen and leaving me alone with my thoughts...

all these feelings... they just make me want to burn my skin off. i feel so much every time around him that i can't even bare to think; never mind think rationally.

with those thoughts looming at the front of my mind, i shakily stand up and slip off my other shoe, walking over the bathroom...