Call me Cupid ( Joel miller x reader )

SUNSHINE

when ellie first caught him staring , she thought it was just a fluke  like he was lost in thought while his eyes stared off into the distance . that was til the woman in his view was getting up to return her dishes, finishing her food his eyes followed her frame  . it happened every time they went to the canteen more so when tommy held joel's attention this time  , ellie saw the woman in question looking over directly at the older miller before turning away small smile on her face. as the woman finished her meal she went to walk out.
" hey tommy who is she " ellie pointed  out the door. " oh that's y/n, she's works in the community garden , bit old for you ellie " he teased.
" funny asshole , she's  not old like you fucks either " she shot back earning a curious yet confused look back .
"  she's 24 been alone for a while , maria found her on patrol she was cornered by couple of raiders, before maria went to help her out she had then on there asses  ,  i didn't believe her till i went on patrol one day and sure enough girl held her own " he shook his head still  in disbelief even though he'd seen it himself.
"  shit that is so cool " she smiled brightly.
" give me your plate and less of the cussing " joel grumbled before heading off . 
" she seeing anybody " she asked .
" why the sudden interest in Y/N , ain't you seeing Cat " tommy asked.
" not for me idiot her and joel, watch them when their near each other its gross but in a cute way" she said before leaving the table .  running out the door before joel could call her back .
" Hey Y/N , wait up shit" she panted as the woman turned . " hello i'm ellie , we've never talked before but i wanted to introduce myself " she held her hand out.
" nice to meet you ellie " she smiled softly shaking her hand .
" can you tell me about that gardening shit... sorry stuff" ellie excitedly  asked looking  for a way to get to know the woman .
"  i'm actually going to do the gardening shit if you wanna join " .
" fuck yeah let's go" . 

Ellie sat on stool bored out her head not that she would admit it not when she was here for different reason than how flowers and veg grew out the ground.
" so how long you in jackson" she asked finally cutting the woman off from her informed opinion on well she zoned out about ten minutes ago so she was u aware of the information.
" erm month before you and your dad I think".
" oh joel's not my dad I mean well he acts like it but i didn't come from his nuts" she began rambling before explaining it all leaving some parts out not wanting to scare the woman away. 

" i mean that's exactly what a dad doesn't have to be blood related to be family" y/n smiled softly. 

" where you're family , why you alone?"  bluntly and curiously watching the shift in the woman's position .

"family died and boyfriend left me alone after he decided to settle with someone else but i think being alone suits me just fine" . 

" nah you have me now in a total platonic way sunshine ... that's what i'll call you sunshine you all warm and fuzzy" she nodded away as y/n stifled the laugh that was threatening to spill from her lips. 

" well fine by me but ellie alone i didn't mean friendships  , i meant relationships and shit like that now what else have you been wanting to ask me " sunshine chuckled seeing the cog visibly turn in the teens head . 

for what went as a normal intrigue of questions turn to interrogation almost like ellie wanted to know everything to her blood type. she didn't mind it , weirdly enough she liked the company  as she worked since gardening and produce was least favoured job in the community .  she worked the clinic the weekends too knowing she owed them alot . it wasn't just a place to stay to her it was a sense of security something she hadn't had in a long time , sense of community people helping people was an almost alien concept til the day she walked through those gate that first day. it was something she only ever dreamed of and now she was actually living it. 

she continued to answer the teens question wondering how she still had some but still sunshine patiently answered them all . As soon as she got her food ready to tell the girl she would see her later she felt herself being pulled towards the table she seen them sitting at many times before.

" joel this is sunshine , sunshine this is joel ok good lets eat" she sat as the woman hesitantly sat. 

" actually it's Y/n but sunshine seems to be ok too" she laughed awkwardly waiting for the man to give her one of his usual grunts he did with the other folks in town. 

" sunshine suits you, nice to meet you" joel smiled hold his hand over making her head tilt before she done same completely thrown off by the whole thing.

tommy watched as he pretended to listen to the man talking to him, he saw it straight away  how they stole glances at each other when the other wasn't looking it was like they were taking turns. 

" son of a bitch" he chuckled only for the man to ask him what he was talking about  before he excused himself  and headed over only he didn't stop just a quick little " i see it" before heading out the door. 

It was routine now for the three to have meals together and even when she wasn't working she would visit their house or they would visit hers . the new found friendship had the people of jackson scratching their heads and widening. the effect of y/n though  was reason enough the woman went out of her way to help those around her helping the older residents of town to get to meal time or bring meals to them if they couldn't .   she wasn't afraid to  stand up to a few when they were picking on the old  one of the reasons that had joel so drawn to the woman . she was this angel with the fire inside of her a rarity . the shambles of the world didn't dim her if anything it seem to strengthen her instead . everyone seem to love the girl from the oldest of grumpiest men to the smaller kids she really was jackson's own year long sunshine .  when he fell hard for the woman  he couldn't pin point probably first time he'd seen her . she was dancing around in the snow as kids laughed along copying what she was doing . the smile on her face that day stuck and clung on to him.  when she came to sit with them the first day he had to wipe his palms before he shook her hand long ass time he felt like this so in awe of a woman that he couldn't help but smile her way when she talked or when she was busy study her face like he was burning it to memory only thing that didn't help was tommy's incessant teasing of the matter but even that wasn't all too bad .

the whole town caught on to ellies nickname it was all she heard to point she never said to new comers what her actual name was after months of hearing nothing but the nickname she felt it was pointless  they ended up only calling her that.  new thing was since the garden was now more experience people looking after she moved to the clinic helping doc out as much as she could and where ever she could as man thought her along the way and to be honest life for her was looking up so much more than it ever did .  she thanked the moon and stars every night she found jackson that was for sure. But even in the good she was still haunted by the memories of the past and maybe that would be something she would just have to live with .  they were only memories they couldn't hurt her.

......

He was tired , they all were but luke simmons wasn't going to show an ounce of weakness nah he was the leader and they we're going to listen to their leader or they would pay the price.  jessie was helping him out she showed her undying devotion from day one and she kept his bed warm but she wasn't her .  He regretted leaving her that night , he had moulded her to his perfection and well new things took his eyes off promise of new horizons and he left leaving her with the bag on her back . hell he thought she was dead til his group said they spotted that chick . that chick was his y/n and he was going to not only take her but he was gonna take jackson for himself . he told the group they would be going even fed a few lies in jesse's ear telling her it was just to get jackson but he had a goal and it was to get it all no matter what .