The Last of Us Part 2 (Joel Miller x Female!Reader)

Happy Birthday, Kiddo

3 Years Earlier

"That's starting to sound like something." Joel said to Ellie as we walk up to her while she was sitting on a tree trunk, playing her guitar. We had decided to go out camping and since it was Ellie's birthday, we had a big surprise for her.

I had this homemade baby carrier, that would hold one baby in the front and one in the back, so that Aiden and Ethan could come with us. Ethan was strapped to my back and Aiden was in the holder that was around my chest. 

Ellie looks up at us then scoffs. "I suck." She said, disappointed. "Nah...just need to build up your callouses, that's all." Joel told her and she looks down at her fingers. "Man." She grumbles then she looks up at us. "All right, c'mon." I said to her. "This it?" Ellie asked. "Yeah." Joel and I said. "Oh shit!" She exclaimed, excitedly, but then stops herself then looks up at me. 

"I mean shoot." She said and I chuckled at her. Ever since the boys were born, she had been trying so hard to stop herself from swearing around the boys until they were old enough to understand.

"It's alright, Ellie." I said and we gesture for her to follow us. "I'm gonna start guessing." She said as we walked along the trails. "You wanna spoil your surprise now?" Joel asked her, curiously. "I dunno." Ellie mutters and I shake my head.

"Is it a dinosaur?" She asked and Joel scoffs, softly, at this. "Stop trying to guess, we ain't telling you." I told her and she scoffs. "All right. Is it...an elephant?" She asked and Joel grumbles at this and I smile. "Is it a convertible?" asked Ellie. "You're not gonna guess." Joel said.

"Is it a puppy? Is it a lotta kittens?" She asked. "You mean a litter?" I asked her. "What's a litter?" She asked, confused. "A bunch of kittens." Joel replied. "Then why is it not just called a bunch of kittens?" She asked. "We don't know. It's called a litter." Joel said, slightly annoyed, and we come up to this ledge and Joel pushes a branch back for Ellie to shimmy her way through.

"Mind your step." I warned her as she walks up and pass us. "I got it." She said and she starts to walk pass us when Joel gets behind her and pushes her. "Oops." He said and Ellie let's out a surprised yell and falls into the water.

Joel and I started to laugh, so did the boys, as Ellie resurfaces. "What is wrong with you?" She exclaims, angrily. "You should see your face right now." Joel said. "What if I drowned?" Ellie asked, angrily. "You're not gonna drown." Joel said, dismissively. "You gotta work on that confidence, sweetie." I said as we laugh. 

"Yeah, keep laughing, you two." Ellie said and the boys began giggling a bit at this. "Yeah, same to you, you traitors!" She said then Joel points up ahead. "This way." He said. "You guys are the worst!" She shouts and she starts to swim.

"You're swimming's getting better. Remember now, just don't flail about, you gotta--" Joel started to explain but Ellie talks over him. "Push the water with your whole arm. Blah, blah, blah." She grumbles as she meets up with a ledge and gets out of the water while we walk ahead of her. "Glad to know we're getting through." I said as we come up to a ledge and see a deer off in the distance.

"Ellie, c'mere. Take a look at this. You see that deer over there?" Joel asked as she walks in between us. "Where?" She asked and I point it out across the lake. "See it?" I said. "Yeah, just through there, look." Joel said and Ellie bends down to look. "Yeah, I see it." She whispers. "Looks, like..." but before she finished her sentence, she shoves Joel down into the water.

I snorted out a laugh and cover my mouth as he resurfaces. "How's that feel?" Ellie asked him, her arms spread out, the boys also giggling at this. "Refreshing." Joel replied and I shake my head. "Yeah, it's not nice getting pushed in, is it?" Ellie asked him. "Would've pushed (y/n) but...she's got the boys." She said.