𝐏𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘𝐀. tlou (discounted)

𝐈𝐕.

━━━━𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓.

  𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑 later, Joel walks back into the living room, Mason hard at work coloring, Tommy nowhere in sight. The man sits next to the girl with a groan, hand running over his salt and pepper beard.

"Tommy, leave?" She nods, handing him a crisp piece of paper.

Don't forget to come over for dinner.

Bring Mason; Maria wants to meet her, Tommy.

He huffs, placing the note beside him as he rubs at his temples. Of all things, Joel had to drag a six-year-old to Tommy, his, and Maria's weekly get together. The girl of topic sat next to the man, blue crayon in hand, tongue peeping out from her lips as she drew all her concentration to the coloring book on her lap. Joel couldn't help but find it somewhat adorable as he glanced at her, peaking over her shoulder. The printing on the page was a pure cartoon deer surrounded by a field of flowers and trees, filled in by out of the line color. That stuffed dog sat by her side, almost like a loyal protector as it lay on its arm.

The two sat in silence as she colored, taking in the silence of the peaceful afternoon. And before they know it, they're walking side by side down the busy roads of Jackson, finding their way to Tommy and Maria's. Mason clutched Joel's hand, the sleeves of her dark green zip-up lying on her knuckles, the shorts of her overalls hanging just about her kneecaps. The dog plush, Bear she decided to call it, was clutched in her fist, blue journal tucked safely under her arm. The wave in her short brown hair blew in the soft mid-summer breeze, the sun setting behind the pair as they walk.

Joel held her hand tight as people began to stare and soon came the hushed whispers.

"Who's the kid?"

"Is she Joel's?"

"Poor girl, barely any meat on her bones."

"Probably took her in."

The man soon cursed under his breath as Mason shrunk into his side, the smallest of whimpers arising from her chest. With great hesitance, he bent down, holding the little one tight to his chest as he kept his pace. She was incredibly tiny in his arms, barely weighed more than a penny. The reassuring sight of his brother's home came to view, a sigh of relief flooding from Joel's lips as he walked the steps, placing the little girl beside him as he raised his fist, knocking heavy on the door. Maria opened the front door, a small smile on her lips as she greets him.

"Joel." She gives him a nod before turning to the girl grasping his hand tight, tucked into his side. The blonde kneeled, offering Mason a smile.

"You must be Mason." The young brunette only sunk into the man's side. He gave his sister-in-law a sympathetic look, but she waved him off. The woman stepped aside, allowing her two guests to enter her home. Joel pried his hand from Mason's death grip, the girl trailing behind the two adults as they went through the hallway. The little girl strayed away from her small group, moving to the living room as the two adults continued. She buried herself deep into the corner of the couch, knees against her chest, head on the armrest with Bear held close.

She despised meeting new people.

Mason played with the brown ear of her companion, holding him tighter against her hammering heart. She wanted to go back to Joel's house; she wanted to go home. She glanced towards the front door, though tempting, she couldn't just leave. Yet something in the back of her mind tugged at her, something telling her Joel wouldn't care. That he wouldn't care if she ran on home, or better yet, packed up her things and went outside the walls. Her six-year-old mind told her that she was a burden, that if she took Bear, her coloring books, her canned peaches, and beans, and left Jackson, he wouldn't care.