𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 ━ 𝙟. 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧

i swear

I S W E A R

They took Tommy up on his offer. They travelled back to Jackson Wyoming in search of a fresh start, their car had broken door just outside of Jackson, meaning they had to walk the little way left. Joel and Iris were hunched over the hood of car, as smoke was emitting from the engine, the pair were bickering like an old married couple as Ellie sat in the passenger seat, look down at her bite mark.

Joel huffs as he was losing the argument and shuts the hood, Iris rolls her brown eyes playfully at him, Joel looks down at the girl in the car, "well, looks like we're walking. Should be a straight shot through here."

Ellie rolls her sleeve down, "alright." Iris looks around at the forest, a smile gracing her lips, "it's actually kinda pretty, ain't it?" The shorter girl replies shortly, "yeah." They come to a fence of barbed wire and Joel holds it up for the girls, "alright, now watch your head going through."

Ellie crouches through and holds it up for the pair, "here... I got it." Joel straightens up and walks forward, "oh, feelin' my age now. Hmpf. Don't think I ever told you, but Sarah and I used to take hikes like this. I think, ah... I think the two of you would've been good friends. Think you would've liked her. I know she would've liked you two." Ellie replies, "I bet I would've."

They climb the terrain and see Jackson lit up as the sun was beginning to set, "wow, look down there, just a little bit further now." Joel says. He and Iris jump from a log but made it unfortunately sink, "shit, sorry, give me your hand." Iris apologises as she pulls Ellie up to where she and Joel stood. "Alright, come on." Joel nods at the town.

"Hey, wait. Back in Boston- back when I was bitten- I wasn't alone. My best friend was there, and she got bit too. We didn't know what to do. So... She says 'let's just wait it out, y'know, we can be all poetic and lose our minds together.' I'm still waiting for my turn." Ellie starts, "Ellie-" she cuts him off.

"Her name was Riley, and she was the first to die. And then it was Tess. And then Sam." She looks at Iris guiltily, but Iris's eyes as soften as she reassures her, "none of that is on you." Ellie shakes her head, "no, you don't understand-"

"I struggled, for a long time with survivin'. And no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for." Joel places his hand over his broken watch, "now I know that's not what you wanna hear right now but it's-" Ellie cuts him off.

"Swear to me. Swear to me that everything you two said about the fireflies is true." Joel and Iris pause for a short second and answer in unison. "I swear."

"Okay."