"Singularity" Chapter 31: "…And Your Enemies Closer" [31/49]
Title: "Singularity" Chapter 31: "...And Your Enemies Closer" [31/49]
Fandom: The Last of Us (first game only)
Characters: Ellie, Joel, Tommy, Maria, OCs
Pairings: Joel/Ellie
Warnings: Underage
Word Count for this chapter: 10,427
Rating (for fic as a whole): R
~
"Whoa..." Ellie marveled at the fortress-like farm ahead of them. They had taken two horses -- and the pioneer wagon! Ellie had never gotten to ride in it before. Now if I can just talk him into having sex in it... ha! But, business first. She was sitting on the bench thing in the front and Joel was beside her, driving two horses at once. She couldn't even see where the wall ended when she looked to their left. "You built all this? Wow..."
"Me?" Joel scoffed. "How the hell would I have done it?"
"You were up here for weeks -- that felt like months!" she reminded him. Except actually, it had only been--
"It was one week. One. It was s'posed to be longer, but someone--"
"I know, I know," Ellie said impatiently. "Well, you helped. Fuck -- it's like a mini Jackson!" Although calling it 'mini' felt wrong, because the wall was fucking huge.
"I didn't help much with this part. Last time up, they were still waitin' on materials."
"Which is what we're going to be doing now, for our teensy tiny little wall," Ellie lamented. "Unless someone fucked up the measurements and sent extra, like you said!"
Joel chuckled. "To the tune of a few thousand bricks? Unlikely. Even if they did, this dinky lil' wagon ain't big enough to get 'em all home."
"Multiple trips, that's all. Big deal!"
"Too many multiple trips for my likin'," Joel replied. "This is one-and-done, as far as I'm concerned. Tommy said the wagon might do okay with two thousand pounds, but that's pushin' it. And we need more than that anyhow. What we really need is that eighteen-wheeler."
Why does he keep saying that?! Unless Joel planned on building their wall, like... five times as tall as it needed to be? Ellie failed to see why they needed such a large vehicle. She suspected he was just messing with her. "Whatever! Those are for sleeping in -- or fighting on top of!" she snickered. "They don't actually move."
"Ha. You'll see... next time they send it down instead of the movin' truck, anyhow."
"I hope they do!" If Joel wasn't just messing with her, the plan was to see how much they still needed after today's outing and then send an order with whoever was going to Idaho next. 'Order' as in a request for more, not like... a demand for them to send whatever. Ellie kind of wanted to ride in the fabled vehicle... or even just a regular moving truck... but only if Joel was the driver. They all belonged to the military, though, so... yeah. That was out.
She looked around as Joel veered to their right, following the wall to... where? "So how do we... where's the little thingie?" she asked.
"He said look for a telephone pole. ...You know what those are, don'tcha?"
Ellie gave him a withering look. "I hope you're teasing. Of course I know what they are! You told me they're really utility poles but people call them telephone poles just cuz that's what they've always been called. We've only seen a million of them on the way out here! And in California! Remember -- you accused me of trying to get you electrocuted when I volunteered you to get some power for the resort?"
"That's right. Forgot about that. Well, these ones ain't operational either, far as I know... they figured the thing would blend in on it, though. Looks like a transformer or somethin'. -There -- I bet that's it."
It was the only pole in the vicinity, so -- assuming he had gone the right direction along the wall -- he had to be right. "Way over there?"
"This used to be the front. Guess they want people comin' in closer to the house now. Or maybe the intercom don't have that long of a range."
"So... over there should be the front if it's closer to the house, shouldn't it? Like... don't make visitors trample through your fields to get to you, right?"
"There's a clear path up to the house, smartass. It's nicer-lookin' on this side... the front of the place, compared to the side or the back. No one cares about that anymore though, so--"
"I care! I like nice-looking things."
Joel chuckled. "No you don't: you're with me."
She slugged his arm. "Hey! Fuck you! You're the best-looking guy in town. In the whole world! -Which is the only reason I'm with you, if you must know," she teased.
"Christ... we need to find you some glasses, kiddo."
"Joel, shut up! Are you serious?" Sometimes he just plain liked to mess with her... but sometimes he liked to throw in some half-truths when he did. "Do you really think you're ugly?! How can you think that? Oh my God -- it's all my fault. I'm your girlfriend -- I'm supposed to make you--"
"Calm down... damn, I was just tryin' to be funny. Trust me, I know I'm the hottest catch in Jackson County," he smirked, confident as fuck. Then he gave her a sidelong glance. "That better?"
"Yes!" she laughed, shoving him playfully with her shoulder... and taking the opportunity to just keep leaning into him. "If only you weren't just bullshitting."
"Let's just agree I'm somewhere in the middle. As far as old geezers go."
"Um, no... we'll have to agree to disagree if you think that. You're not a geezer -- and you're smokin' hot, not just average. You just like to say-- oh! And you know what else? Your dick isn't just average, either. It's fucking ginormous."
"Ellie--"
"I knew you were gonna 'Ellie' me for that!" she giggled. "Even though there's no one aaaaanywhere near us. You're so predictable."
"We're almost in. You've gotta be good now."
"First I had to be good cuz we were Out, now I have to be good cuz we're In?"
"Yep."
She wriggled up to whisper in his ear. "What if I wanna have my way with you in the wagon?" It has like a tarp thing over it, so he really shouldn't have any objections...
"Then... you'd best just have yourself a little fantasy about it, 'cause it ain't gonna happen."
"You think so, huh? We'll see about that," she snickered softly, nipping at his ear.
He didn't exactly push her back... it was more like a nudge... but he made it clear he was all business. A little too clear for Ellie's liking.
"You could act like you might actually enjoy that, you know," she pouted.
"And you could act like you're s'posed to when we're in public," he retorted.
"There's nothing wrong with daughters whispering--"
"Knock it off. You were hangin' on me, kissin' me--"
"Oh, you're exaggerating. I was just... playing a little. It wasn't sexual."
He gave her a hard look before pulling up on the reins. "Go flip that cover up an' see if there's a keypad under it. I'm sure you remember the numbers."
She did; Joel had relayed them to her because he liked to say her mind was a steel trap -- meaning they'd stay in there. "Yes sir," she grumbled, making sure to roll her eyes at him before sliding off the seat (in case he didn't already know what she thought of his uber-business...ness!). The lid didn't just flip right up, though. She looked for a little tab or switch or something to pull on.
"It's prob'ly got a--"
"I've got it!" she called back in annoyance... even though she hadn't got it yet. The thing wouldn't budge. She was starting to wonder if there was another box on another pole that they were supposed to go to. There's a gate here, though... this HAS to be it... She heard Joel walking up behind her. Time's up, I guess! "The fucking thing must be busted," she sighed.
"Lemme see." ...And then Joel just flipped the cover right up!
"How did you..."
"I'll show you. See this down here? You have to push it in first, then pull it up an' out." He demonstrated, then snapped it shut. "Now you do it."
She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "But how did you just know-- oh, so this was here when you were up here last! You liar!"
Joel chuckled. "No, I've jus' seen this type of contraption before, that's all. Go ahead."
"No, Mr. Know-it-all, do it yourself, since you're the expert," she sneered.
"I'm no expert. I'm just old."
"You sent me over here to do it cuz you knew I would fail! You wanted me to fail so you could swoop in and--"
"Jesus Christ, Ellie, do you hear yourself? It's a goddamn... box on a pole. Not some... test... or whatever you seem to think. It was on your side of the wagon, and you were curious about it -- that's why I sent you over."
Okay, I might have overreacted just a little... but-- "I'm not touching that stupid thing again. It's all yours." She looked pointedly away -- at the gate they were trying to open, wishing it wasn't so solid that she couldn't see beyond it.
Joel muttered something under his breath and opened the lid again. "You wanna punch in the numbers, at least?"
"You can do that, too," she said dismissively, her attention drawn to the farm now. She heard some kind of power tool noise coming from behind the big two-story house, and wondered what it was doing...
"I can't. I don't remember the numbers."
She glanced back at him. "Yeah, right."
"I'm serious," he insisted, looking quite serious.
Why can I still never tell when he's lying?! Joel seemed to think she could tell, but she couldn't really. Not always. She just happened to guess right sometimes. These numbers were so easy to remember that she figured he had to be lying this time. "I guess you'd better look at your paper, then," she advised haughtily.
"Can't. Left it at home, since I brought you with me."
"Yeah right!" she snorted. "Mr. Prepared-For-Anything deliberately left something useful at home?"
"Which is it, then... am I Know-It-All, or Prepared-For-Anythin'? You gave me two new last names in the past sixty seconds."
"Well, you're both, so I guess it's one of those hyphenated names that some people have. Like if they can't make up their mind about which one to use."
He quirked an eyebrow. "Mr. Know-It-All-dash-Prepared-For-Anythin'? Bit long, ain't it?"
"Will you just type in the fucking numbers already?! Fuck."
"I told you, I can't. I don't--"
"If we keep fighting, someone will eventually hear us and let us in anyway! Or see us... somehow... I guess maybe if they're on the second floor of the house... which, why would they be up there, looking out the window... when everyone else is working..." She felt that Joel really didn't have to be so concerned about her inappropriate behavior earlier; no one on ground level could see shit!
"Good thing they've got this whatchamacallit here instead. Are you gonna help me out or do I have to guess the goddamn numbers?"
She glared at him. "You really have no idea."
"I really don't. Starts with a seven, that's all I remember."
"Practically the whole thing is sevens! Now do you remember?"
Joel turned to the keypad and started slowly punching in the numbers while Ellie watched. "Seven... seven..."
"Nooooo," she groaned. "I said practically -- erase that second one! How do you erase?"
"Can't erase. I'll just have to finish it." He typed in two more sevens, and they both looked at the gate, even though they knew it wouldn't move. "Damn. Well, that's that. It's locked up now 'cause it thinks we were tryin' to break in."
Ellie's eyes widened. "So we're stuck out here 'til someone hears us and comes over?"
" 'fraid so. All because you wouldn't help me," he said lightly.
He's totally bullshitting me now! (Maybe she could tell sometimes.) Exasperated, Ellie marched up to the thing and typed in the correct code. "Seven, four, seven, seven. There." She turned to watch the gate open. It started to swing slowly inwards, much like the Jackson gates. "So how do we close it once we're inside? There's no guards here to do it."
"It's on a timer. We've got ten seconds to get inside... better hurry!"
What the fuck? "Ten-- yeah right!" She watched calmly as Joel tried to sell it by hopping back up on the wagon seat in a hurry.
He actually smiled this time. "Went to the well once too often."
"...What? What well?"
"Means I would've had you if it weren't for you figurin' out the locked keypad thing just now. You disproved that real quick. C'mon up." He patted the seat. "It really is on a timer... I think it's only a minute or two."
Ellie climbed back up next to him. "I still don't see what that has to do with a well."
"Just an old expression. You keep goin' to it and it eventually runs out."
Joel steered the wagon toward the bunkhouse. At least, he said that's where they were going; the house must have been blocking it from view. The land between them and the house really was pretty ugly on this side. All dirt -- not even the patchiest of grass -- with ruts and marks in it, like wheels had gone through the mud and left their tracks to dry. It was a bumpy ride through the ruts. "Okay, I'm done with this thing," Ellie decided, hopping off without waiting for Joel to 'whoa' the horses. "With this tarp in the way, I can't even see if the gate is gonna close behind us!"
She stood there and watched as it started to slowly swing shut, not unlike the gates at Jackson... except no one was controlling this one. Allegedly. There could be someone minding it from the house, for all she knew. Joel could have just made up the timer thing.
The wagon kept trundling on toward the side of the house, and Ellie found she was mildly annoyed that Joel hadn't stopped and told her to get back in. Nor had he scolded her for jumping off. Wait... it bugs me that he's NOT yelling at me? What the fuck is wrong with me? She was just... so used to Joel acting a certain way that sometimes it surprised her when he didn't. It doesn't mean anything, she reminded herself. He had moods that could influence his actions, just like anyone else. Including herself. She didn't always do what Joel expected her to, either.
It just made her want to do something here and now that Joel wouldn't expect. First, she had to figure out what Joel would expect her to do, and then not do that. Some part of her brain registered this little game as petty, or silly... that Joel would never think this way, if their positions were reversed... but it didn't dull the urge to do it. We ARE pretty different, really, even though that makes no sense cuz we're like the same person?! -Okay so I think he'd expect me to just follow the wagon, maybe run to catch up to it... thinking I'd wanna stick close to him cuz this place is unfamiliar to me and I don't know some of these people... nope! I'm going up to the house. I'll see if anyone's in there, and if I don't know them, I'll just introduce myself. This farm was affiliated with Jackson, so Ellie had already filed it in the "our people" category. She didn't have to know them personally to know they didn't pose a threat.
She did follow the wagon somewhat... just angled her path much closer to the house. She had to go around if she wanted to knock on the front door (because usually if a house had both a front and a back door, it was customary to knock on the front -- even if the back one wasn't all boarded up or whatever), and she thought Joel should mentally thank her for staying in his line of sight. That should let him know I'm not mad at him! If I was mad, I'd stay in a blind spot as punishment -- not hard to do with that big old tarp blocking his rear view.
...Except she was pretty sure Joel's brain wouldn't even register nuances like that. Okay so whatever! I'm just GOING.
As Ellie traipsed around to the front, she admired the cheerful-looking house... the walls freshly painted a creamy-white color, the shutters -- and what Joel would call the 'trim' -- a cool gray. She knew the house was actually built before she was even born, but it looked so nice and new! The boards on the stairs and the porch were not-squeaky, and relatively clean. Oops, did I get mud on my shoes? The welcome mat looked almost too nice to wipe her shoes on -- surely that was new, at least -- but wipe them she did (taking care to avoid muddying up the cool black cow silhouette, at least). Already wearing her nice-to-meet-you smile, she knocked on the door.
The person who answered was definitely not who she was expecting. Christine, however, had to be even more surprised to see Ellie. "You're back? That's just great. What are you doing here?"
Ellie instantly dropped the smile. She didn't care to explain her presence, so she ignored the question. "I heard you were up here," she replied coolly. "Didn't know you liked farming so much. ...Oh, wait -- you don't. That's why you're hanging out in the family house while the others are out in the fields doing all the planting and stuff."
"For your information, I live here now," Christine sneered. "So it's my house, too. And you're not welcome here."
Ellie's eyebrows shot up. "Your house? Um, workers live in the other building. The bunkhouse. Not that you're even working... but you're not family. So unless you married that Nolan guy, I think that--"
"For your information," Christine repeated --clearly in love with the phrase for some reason, "it's not finished yet. Only the guys live there right now. And Nolan's already married. Even if he wasn't... banging gross old dudes is your thing, not mine."
Did she really just-- "You fucking bitch!" Ellie couldn't help it; the cunt knew how to make her lose her cool. So much for bygones and shit! But Ellie didn't lunge at her (this time). She noted that Christine had taken a step back, like she was preparing to shut the door if she needed to protect herself. "You don't know what you're talking about. As usual. And Nolan's wife better watch out for you. Does she know you don't care if your... your target -- your victim -- is in a relationship already? That you'll spread your legs for any dick that wanders near your skanky ass? -Your skanky pussy?" she amended... although 'ass' worked just as well, if not better.
The bitch's face was on fire (not an attractive look on her), and Ellie braced for one of two reactions: the door slamming in her face, or the skank's fist trying to connect with her face. But neither of those things happened. Christine actually laughed. It certainly wasn't laughter borne of amusement; Ellie figured the cunt was stalling while she tried to think up a suitable comeback to that.
"I didn't know being called out for being a slut was so funny," Ellie said innocently. "Kinda expected you to deck me -- even though I'm just speaking the fucking truth -- but... oh yeah, that's right -- last time we got into it, I owned you. Pfffff. ...Gee, I'm sorry, I didn't know your face could get any uglier, but it looks like you never recovered from that. Is that why Jacob dumped your skanky ass?" (Yeah, 'ass' does sound better) Never mind the fact that Ellie knew Jacob and Christine had broken up before that. She just couldn't resist that dig!
Christine scowled at her. "For your information, I dumped him -- and fighting like a dude the way you do--"
"You did? Funny, he says he dumped you. You're both lying pieces of shit, so I guess I'll never know the real story. He said... what was it... you were so bad in bed, that he would rather--"
"You are so full of shit. Jacob hates you. He would never tell you anything -- even lies like that."
"Oh wouldn't he? You just keep telling yourself that." Ha! Let her wonder! Ellie wasn't sorry that the slut had interrupted her, as she hadn't actually thought up an adequate he-would-rather insult to finish that sentence. Why did I not prepare some fucking material in advance? ...Because I didn't PLAN to get into it with her... Wait -- I interrupted HER before, though, and that was weird-- "What did you mean about fighting like a dude?"
Christine blinked. "Um... that I'm more of a lady than you are? In case you didn't--"
"Lady of the evening, you mean," Ellie scoffed. Oh SNAP-- good one, Ellie! ...except Christine didn't seem to get it. Ellie only knew the term because she'd had to ask Joel what it meant (and she hadn't even been trying to make him uncomfortable, that time!). He DID say it was old-fashioned... like, before HIS time, even... Annie would totally get it, though, when Ellie shared this exchange with her later. She probably knows more about ANCIENT history than Joel, even! "You don't know what that saying is for, do you. Let me rephrase: whore, prostitute, skank, slut -- take your pick--"
"I know a better one -- about a pot and a kettle... yessss, the pot calling the kettle black."
Uh... what?
Christine smirked. "Let me rephrase, bitch: you're the slut. Everyone in town knows it. Handing out BJs to any boy who-- any man -- yeah. The older, the better, but still--"
"You started those nasty rumors, knowing full well it was all a lie!" Ellie knew her time was limited now; she saw Joel approaching in her peripheral vision (and she wasn't surprised that he hadn't simply continued driving to the bunkhouse without her). He hadn't parked that far away, but it was beyond the front of the house, out of Christine's view. If only I could get her to incriminate herself before she realizes Joel's right there-- "Just admit it! I know it was you! You and that cocksucker Jacob!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," the bitch said innocently... smugly. "I was as surprised as the next person to hear it. I mean... like... why would anyone let you near their junk in the first place?"
Fuck... THINK... but Joel's almost here, so be cool... She shook her head, chuckling to herself to buy a moment to think. "It's so sad. You're so insecure about yourself that you have to take it out on--"
"What's goin' on here?" She heard Joel coming up the porch steps. Saying exactly what she had expected him to.
Christine blanched for a moment before schooling her ugly features back into a sneer. "Should've known you brought your guard dog with you."
Ellie snorted. "He's not my-- I don't need a guard. Like you said -- I fight like a dude! Right, Joel?" She glanced back at him.
He was wearing his customary resting frown, which betrayed nothing of his true mood, or feelings, or thoughts... it just tended to make people think he was angry. "Let's go," was all he said.
"But Christine here was just about to admit that she's the one who started all that shit last year," Ellie protested. "Weren't you, Christine?"
"It wasn't me, you stupid--" The bitch cut herself off this time, perhaps thinking better of whatever she'd been about to call Ellie with Joel standing right there. Ellie couldn't decide if she was annoyed or amused by that; it wasn't like Joel was going to hit Christine for calling Ellie some stupid name (man, wouldn't that be AWESOME, though?!).
"If it wasn't you, who was it, then?" Joel asked tersely.
"How should I know? I had nothing to do with it! I heard it from like... ten different people!"
"You mean you told it TO ten different people," Ellie corrected her. "You're prob'ly the one who threw that rock, too. Just admit it!"
"That wasn't me!"
"Sure it wasn't. Who else hates us so much?" Ellie resisted the urge to look back at Joel again... but he must have been giving Christine quite the deathglare, because the color had drained from her face... and if that's not FEAR in her eyes, I don't know what it is...
When Joel spoke, though, the words came out all level and rational. "Look. If you come clean now, we can talk--"
"I--I can't -- I mean I didn't do it!" she spluttered. "I swear to God!"
A tense pause. "You sure you wanna go that way?" he asked her.
"It's the truth!" the bitch replied.
Did her face turn red again cuz she's lying, or is it self-righteous anger, or what? Ellie wondered. Oh God, I hope Joel can tell!
Joel was still, as Ellie liked to put it, maddeningly calm. " 'Cause if I find out it was you -- doin' either of those things... and then on top of that, you lied about it... to my face..."
Ellie didn't have to look at Joel now; she could 'see' his expression perfectly, as she'd heard him threaten people before.
To her credit, Christine didn't cower like the wuss that she was. "What, you'll... kill me? Kick my ass?" she taunted.
She's fucking TAUNTING Joel now?!
"Neither." (...And apparently he didn't give a shit about her tone.) "But you'll regret it. I will make you pay, little girl."
"I didn't do it!" the bitch repeated, looking a little more appropriately scared.
"Good. Then you've got nothin' to worry about. As long as you leave Ellie alone. ...C'mon, kiddo."
Ugh, did he have to add that last bit about leaving me alone?! "Joel, gimme a sec, would you? I, uh... need to say goodbye to my friend here."
Joel frowned -- actually frown-frowned, not resting-frowned. "I don't think--"
"I won't touch her, I promise."
He clearly didn't want to, but he gave in. "Ten seconds."
"I only need five." She smiled at him sweetly, waited for him to walk away, then turned back to the cunt and scowled in her best imitation of Joel. "He might not kick your ass, but I will," she said in a low enough voice that even Joel with his bat-like hearing couldn't catch it (hooray for construction noises right over there!). "And I won't just break your ugly nose next time."
Christine snorted through said ugly nose. "Whatever. Run on back to Daddy. ...Go suck his dick," she added nastily.
Be like Joel, she commanded herself; she didn't want to give Christine any further satisfaction of seeing her get angry over remarks like that. Oh -- I've got it!-- "You know... I would? But I took care of that in the wagon already, so he's good," she smirked. "Bye!"
The shock on the bitch's face was fucking priceless! Ellie nearly burst out laughing -- she had to quickly turn her back on Christine so as not to ruin the perfection of the moment by showing more than smirk-level amusement. She hurried down the steps and over to Joel before she lost her composure. Okay, so that was very much NOT like Joel... Joel would probably be pissed at her for saying that, actually. He would say she was just adding fuel to the fire, giving the skank more lies to spread -- lies from Ellie's own mouth. But seriously, who would believe it? Ellie had been so totally -- so obviously -- sarcastic just now. And the funny thing is, it's ALMOST true -- only it'll be on the way OUT of here, and I'll be FUCKing him, not SUCKing him!
"You look awfully pleased with yourself," Joel observed.
"Oh, I am!" Ellie admitted, falling in step with him as they headed back to the wagon. "I had it handled, you know. You didn't have to come over. I wasn't going to hit her this time."
"Uh-huh," Joel replied in that way that meant he didn't believe her. "Seemed like you were a little upset, though. Like she was provokin' you. What happened to what you said last night?"
"Uh... what did I say?" Ellie typically babbled so much that she couldn't always pick out what he was referring to, even with context.
"Your... epiphany? About... schoolyard bullshit, I think you called it?"
"Oh, that. Pfff. I didn't hit her, did I?" she pointed out. "-Hey, you called her a little girl... she's actually older than me. You know that, right?"
Joel chuckled. "And your point is?"
Ellie rolled her eyes. "She's not a little girl! Cuz I'm not a little girl, and she's older! See how that works?" Hmm, he does like to call me 'little girl' sometimes... it was a playful thing, though. And he clearly hadn't been playing with Christine just now.
Joel mussed her hair, messing up her ponytail. "You're my baby girl. Always will be."
For some reason, the sweetness of that innocent sentiment sparked something wicked inside Ellie. "I told her I blew you in the wagon," she snickered, delighting in the flicker of surprise she detected in his otherwise-still-cool expression.
"Why the hell would you--"
"I was joking -- like totally sarcastic! I just wanted to see the look on her face! See -- cuz all I do is deny it, right? So instead--"
Joel cut her off with a groan. "Never mind -- this ain't the time or the place to discuss it. We'll talk about it later. Why were you talkin' to that girl in the first place? For the record, if you wanna spy on someone, it usually means sneakin' around to where they don't even know you're there, not... confrontin' 'em directly."
"I didn't know she was gonna answer the door!"
He was scowling as they climbed back up on the bench; Ellie kept a respectful distance. "Was anyone else in there?" he asked. "Anyone who heard your... little comment?"
"No!" Er... not that I know of? Ellie actually wasn't sure if anyone else had been within earshot, silently enjoying the show... but admitting as much to Joel would only trigger a lecture. The bunkhouse was close enough that driving almost seemed silly (although it would also be silly to leave the wagon out there in between the two houses). We don't have long and I HAVE to know-- "Okay, so tell me: was she lying?"
Joel hesitated before answering. "Hard to say. We know she ain't completely innocent. She definitely helped... perpetuate the rumors. Spread 'em... prob'ly embellished 'em an' whatnot. But that don't place her at our house that night -- either of the nights in question. And she was a bit... flustered... but I think she might've been sincere when she said it wasn't her."
Ellie groaned. "She's a good liar! She fooled Annie -- she let Annie think she was her friend! Oh man... if she can fool you, too--"
"Not bein' sure ain't the same as bein' completely snowed by someone," Joel protested. "Never said we should trust her. Or that you two should kiss'n'make up."
"Eww! Fuck that. I would've been nice to her, if she hadn't given me attitude the second she opened the door." Or, at least Ellie liked to think she would have. "You know she said she lives there? Just cuz she's 'working' on the farm -- pretending to."
"She's stayin' there 'til the bunkhouse renovations are done. Her and any other girls that come up here."
"What? Why? Too noisy and dusty for them? It's not like the guys are working on it all night. Right?"
"There's no place for 'em, is the problem. For the girls. No separate rooms... facilities."
"Is that all?" Ellie scoffed. "That shouldn't bother a skank like her. She can just hop from one dude's bed to the--"
"Ellie, knock it off. I know you don't like her, but that don't mean she's... remember all the things you used to call Sophie?"
...Seriously? "That was different! I was wrong about Sophie -- I'm not wrong about Christine."
"No? Hasn't she been with just the one boy?"
"Yeah -- but it was Annie's fucking boyfriend! And now she's--" --shit, Ellie, shut up already -- you promised you wouldn't tell!
"She's what?" Joel prompted.
"Nothing," Ellie sighed. "It's just that... Jacob was so obviously just looking to get his rocks off. He liked her big tits and open legs-- wide open--"
"Ellie-- just-- ...let's just forget it. Craig's comin' in to greet us so be nice, all right?"
"I'm always nice to him! You mean cool it on the dirty talk," Ellie snickered. It never gets old... she still loved making Joel squirm. But she would behave with Craig and whoever else, and keep her opinions of their skanky 'coworker' to herself.
There's only one person up here who NEEDS to know the truth about her...
* * * * * * *
Ellie had been hoping to observe Christine and Colton from the shadows... to see if she could determine whether her friend's hunch was right, or if Annie was possibly just a little paranoid after everything that had happened with Jacob. The problem was that Colton and the whore were never actually alone together. Colton was outside planting with everyone else while Christine was just lounging around the house.
Okay, maybe not JUST lounging... she was single-handedly making lunch for like a couple dozen people, and Ellie would have to grudgingly count that as work. Apparently Christine was the person who usually did it, and overall, she spent minimal time in the fields. Which made Ellie wonder... did she just completely suck at farm work? Did she absolutely despise it? ...Maybe both? If it wasn't something along those lines, maybe she just wasn't that into Colton after all. Because when Ellie was first trying to make Joel love her, she would have signed up to work with him in a heartbeat if she had to -- if it would've given her the opportunity to succeed in her mission. She just hadn't had to resort to that, since they lived together and spent much of their free time together as it was, giving her shitloads of opportunities. What did Christine have? Group meals... probably very little else. Was that really enough for her?
Joel didn't want to stay long, so Ellie tried to glean as much intel as possible from lunch. He wanted to eat outside somewhere, as some of the workers were doing, but she insisted that they squeeze in at the dining room table -- because that's where Christine and Colton were eating (with three people between them, she was happy to note). Naturally, Joel had expected her to want to be as far away from the bitch as possible, so this confused him. "Is this a keep-your-enemies-closer type thing?" he'd taken her aside to ask.
His comment almost made Ellie wish that she hadn't antagonized Christine earlier. She loved that motto about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. If she had taken the high road with the cunt -- like, if she had fake-apologized and made her think she wanted to be friends again and stuff -- maybe Christine would have let her guard down and confessed shit to Ellie. That was probably a long shot, if they were only going to be here for as short a time as Joel wanted... but who knows? Maybe she was dying for someone to talk to? Ellie would assume she dearly missed her roommate/BFF Olivia. At the very least, maybe she would have given Ellie more to go on here, because the slut wouldn't be wasting half of their lunchtime shooting her dirty looks. Too little too late, but Ellie either ignored these or gave her a little smile in return. Like, not an evil grin or a superior sneer or any other flavor of smile that wasn't meant to be a kind gesture. (Basically just to fuck with her, at this point.) Christine never returned them. Just kept glaring.
If the skank was trying to convey her hatred of Ellie to Colton, however, she seemed to be wasting her time; Colton took pretty much no notice of Christine (and not for lack of trying on Christine's part, Ellie noted with interest). In fact, Ellie was pretty sure that if there was anyone Annie did need to worry about, it wasn't Christine... it was this new Idaho chick named Frankie. Except... well, Frankie wasn't what Ellie would consider pretty. Like, at all. She dressed like a guy... which, to be fair, Ellie kinda did too... along with plenty of other people -- men's clothes tended to be more practical. But her features were masculine enough that Ellie even mistook her for a guy at first (couldn't Frankie be a boy name too?). Her hair was hidden under a trucker's cap (or so Joel called them -- even though no one trucked anymore), with maybe a tiny ponytail in the back, though Ellie never got a decent view of it... it might have just been extremely short. If Frankie had any boobs to speak of, they were well-hidden under the baggy overalls and flannel shirt. Even her voice wasn't all that feminine... kind of loud and obnoxious-sounding. Ellie only knew for certain she was a woman when someone referred to her in the third person. The thing that made Ellie suspicious of her was that out of everyone at the table, Colton interacted with her the most... her and his brother, Logan. The three of them came across as very good friends.
In spite of her worries, by the time they'd finished eating, Ellie had decided Frankie was her favorite person at the table (besides Joel, naturally). She was high-spirited, funny as fuck, and -- perhaps best of all -- Christine was clearly not a fan. Frankie was quite a bit older than Colton (Ellie did manage to get her to disclose that she was thirty-three), but that didn't necessarily matter -- obviously! Fuck, compared to me and Joel, everyone else is practically the same age as each other! There were about fourteen years between Colton and Frankie, which was less than half the number of years between herself and Joel. And besides that, Joel had told her it wasn't as skeevy when the woman was the older one. So sexist -- and dumb!
When it was time to go, Ellie had made a point of seeking out Christine to "thank her for lunch." (She refrained from mentioning that if the sandwiches hadn't all just been sitting there on the platter up for grabs, she never would've eaten anything the bitch had her hands in because she didn't trust her not to spit in hers -- or worse.) Christine didn't buy Ellie's sweetness act for one second, but she didn't call her out, either -- probably because Joel was with her... or maybe she just really wants me to leave! And Ellie had been all prepared to act like Christine was insanely imaginative if she dared to reference the blow job remark -- whether it was in front of the group or not -- but Christine never brought it up.
"Was that really necessary?" Joel asked as they headed out to the wagon.
"What, saying bye to her? Yes! Because you're right -- I need to keep my enemies close." Maybe she'll forget that I just threatened to kick her ass a couple hours ago? -Actually, it didn't even matter now; by all appearances, Christine didn't have a chance in hell with Colton. I think Annie's probably right about her interest in him, though... and I wouldn't put it past her to try something sneaky...
"So... your super-secret recon mission. Was it a success?"
Ellie sighed. "Yes and no. I didn't learn... what I thought I would." And I can't tell you anything else! Sorry! Don't make me have to say it!
But thankfully, Joel didn't ask her anything else... if only because he had the wagon and horses to busy himself with. Ellie waited by the gate button near the back door until he called to her from the bench/seat thing. Then she pressed the button and scrambled to join him.
Joel chuckled. "I think the two minutes starts after they get all the way open. Otherwise someone travelin' by themselves wouldn't have time to--"
"Whatever! Just -- no need to waste time moving slow, right?" She smirked at him. "I can't believe you had to check the wagon -- like look inside it -- because... what, maybe some hunter snuck in while we were eating lunch?"
"I was makin' sure everythin' we loaded up was still as we left it."
Which... was almost as bad, really. "Really? It's so heavy -- who's gonna steal it?"
"Maybe it wasn't sittin' right and somethin' fell over."
He's so cute! "Oh no! Maybe the weight wouldn't be perfectly evenly distributed then! One little brick might break the wagon!"
He was annoyingly immune to her teasing. "The more even it is, the better. That's all."
She suspected it was just so ingrained in him to check things out after leaving their sight that he couldn't help himself. Because he couldn't just drive off when there was even the slightest possibility there was a stowaway, or that some stuff was missing or messed up... whatever. He had to have the image in his head of what it looked like right now or it would drive him crazy. SO cute. "Love you, Joel." She kissed his cheek, even (they were out of sight of everyone, so he shouldn't care).
"You'll love me even more when we don't bust an axle on the way back."
"I will," she had to agree. "I already love you more for letting me go see the animals and stuff instead of doing all that boring loading." She may have orchestrated that herself by shooting a yearning look or two in the direction of the paddocks when she knew he would see it...
"Like I said. Sometimes it's faster when you don't help me."
Which was true -- and it wasn't like he didn't have plenty of people helping him. If he hadn't let her go, they would still be there visiting all the animals right now, because Ellie couldn't just ignore them -- especially the transplants she knew from Jackson! -- so it was definitely in his best interest to not have her help.
They drove through the gate and turned right. Ellie leaned out to watch behind them to make sure it closed; she had to watch for kind of a long time before it actually did. Even the slowest of slow pokes would have no trouble getting through that thing. Someone could totally just wait there for someone to leave and then go right on in, she couldn't help thinking -- by listening to the Joel voice in her head, really -- but, with as little traffic as the farm apparently got, they could be waiting for days and days... if it was a group of hunters, they'd find another way in if they really wanted to. Ellie had observed rifles mounted over both doors in the house, and some of the residents were armed as well... I guess it'll have to be enough. But I'm really glad we live somewhere with even MORE protection.
And, as she so often did, she felt extremely lucky to be with Joel. It didn't matter that bad shit had happened to them -- Ellie still felt safer with him than with anyone else. I will ALWAYS feel this way! Because it's not just a feeling -- I AM safest with him. It's just fucking TRUE.
Joel was frowning up at the sky. "Don't think we're gonna make it home before this hits."
"Which is why we should've just stuck around to wait it out," she complained. He had been really quick to shoot down that suggestion at lunch.
"And come home in the dark? No thank you. I told you, we can't go as fast on the way back with a full--"
"You don't know if it would've been dark -- maybe this'll be one of those quickies!" Ellie snickered. "Speaking of quickies..."
"No," Joel said without even a hint of amusement. "You wanna tell me what your lunch antics were all about?"
"My... antics?" she laughed. "No, not really."
"Tell me anyhow."
"I don't know what you mean! What antics?"
"Bein' friendly to that girl, for one thing, but I think we established it's honey versus vinegar. Besides--"
"It's what?"
"Like keepin' your enemies closer. 'You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar,' is the expression I was referrin' to. Not just that. Just... you seemed pretty comfortable with the group..."
"So?!"
"Let me finish," he chuckled. "Usually when you're comfortable, you like talkin' to people. Especially when they're tryin' to talk to you. And especially-especially when a subject comes up that you happen to love."
She wondered what he was getting at. "What, the Beatles thing? There were so many people talking at once I just didn't hear him!"
"There were also a couple times when people asked about California -- I answered 'em 'cause you weren't payin' attention, and even then, you didn't--"
"Maybe I'm just sick of talking about it," she said defensively.
"I don't think so. I think you were real interested in some of the other conversations goin' on. Conversations you weren't even participatin' in... for the most part."
Well, if he insists on grilling me about it, I might as well get his opinion! She could do that without betraying Annie. "Joel, did you notice anything like... do you think there might be something going on with Colton and that Frankie chick?"
The question seemed to surprise him. "Uh... don' know, don't care. Why do you care?"
"I'm just wondering! At first I thought... maybe? Like cuz he laughed at her little jokes and stuff? But then I thought, well, no, that could just be cuz she was actually funny. And they didn't try to touch each other or anything... but maybe just cuz that's hard to do when they're not sitting next to each other, right? I mean, she can't exactly just lean across Logan to randomly poke him in the arm. Kinda rude. Besides that -- the vibe was more like a... like a one of the guys thing, with her. The only time she really emphasized being a girl was the bathroom thing -- and like, okay, referring to private parts might be considered flirting -- except it was funny, and they weren't being flirty, really? Neither of them. At least I don't think they were. Do you think so? -Wait -- never mind, you didn't even notice I was in love with you for a million years. Oh -- not just that -- cuz maybe I'm bad at flirting -- or I was back then? I think I'm better now -- but you didn't even notice when fucking Sophie was flirting with you, back when I thought she was a skank! So why am I even asking you? You're like... completely oblivious to all this stuff, aren't you." She patted his arm. "It's okay. You're not stupid, you're just a guy."
Joel waited a moment to answer, like he was unsure if it was his turn to speak now. "Those two things ain't mutually exclusive, as I'm sure you know," he chuckled. "Is that why you were so distracted? All this shit was goin' through your brain an' you were tryin' to sort it out?"
"I guess? So -- okay. Not to be mean, but... Frankie's not really... pretty. Right? She's not ugly or anything, just not..." Actually, that word had crossed Ellie's mind at first, but by the end of lunch, she thought the woman had a really nice -- and infectious -- smile, and that she was almost pretty, in a certain way. She's definitely prettier than fugly old Christine!
"Is this some kind of test?" Joel asked warily.
"What? No... why would it be a test?"
"Am I s'posed to agree with you or disagree with you? Just tell me the right answer so I can say it an' not get myself in trouble."
"There's no 'right answer', I'm asking your opinion!" she huffed.
"Uh-huh."
He's being all weird about this because... WHY? ...Holy shit -- should I be worried about JOEL liking her? Ellie had pretty much ignored Joel entirely through the whole meal. Maybe she should've been paying more attention to his reactions to Frankie! "Oh my God... do you like her?"
"Sure. You do, too -- I could tell."
Aaargh, he's so-- "No, I mean-- do you like her," Ellie clarified. "Like that."
He seemed to find this amusing. "Now you're jealous? Didn't see that comin'. Guess I should have. Every time we get around new--"
"Do you or don't you?" Ellie asked impatiently... although she took his amusement as a good sign. At least he's not defensive and angry, like he gets sometimes if I say something that's true but he doesn't wanna admit it?
"Of course not. I only have eyes for one person. And she's sittin' right next to me."
Ellie scooted closer to him, mollified. "Okay then."
"Even if she does drive me crazy sometimes... behaves in ways I don't understand..."
She smiled slyly. "All part of my charm-- no, my mystery. I'm a mystery novel -- a really good one! -- and you have to keep turning the pages to see what happens next."
He slung his arm around her and drew her in close. "I'm hooked, all right."
Ellie leaned into him happily. "Okay... so you didn't answer my first question. Which was not a test, by the way. Do you think, like... -If someone liked Frankie a lot, they would think she's pretty, right? Because she's... not ugly.... she's just not... you know..."
"She ain't you. But, no one is, so... that ain't a fair standard to judge by."
"Whatever," Ellie mumbled. "So... yes?"
Joel kissed the top of her head. "Homely, I think is the word you're lookin' for. Not attractive in the traditional sense, maybe, but she's got other things goin' for her, personality-wise. Sometimes... a person can grow on ya. They get more attractive the more you get to know 'em. Now, do I think that that boy has a thing for her? No clue. I'd still like to know why you care. Is this about him, or about her?"
Ellie groaned. "It's about... I'm just curious, okay? Jeez, just forget it. Didn't think you were gonna make such a big thing of it."
"I'm the one makin' a big thing of it?"
"Yes!"
"All right, well, if you're satisfied with my answer now, we can just drop it."
"Good! ...Oh man -- did you feel that?"
"Feel what?"
"It's sprinkling! Fuck!"
"...I don't feel it. Might be your imagination. Looks like it's up ahead still."
"I'll go get the ponchos. Where did you--"
"I didn't. Didn't bring 'em."
"Seriously?" How un-Joel-like!
"Seriously. Guess you'd better take back your... what was that name you gave me... Mr. Prepared-For-Everythin'?"
"Aww -- you can still keep the name. It's probably my fault. You were gonna pack them and I distracted you or something."
"Mm. I could use that excuse for lotsa things."
"Yep! ...Maybe you're right, though -- maybe it was my imagination. I don't feel any more sprinkles. Maybe it won't even rain until we get home!"
"No, it's comin'. I give it ten or fifteen minutes."
Joel was pretty much right about that; it was about fifteen or twenty minutes later when the skies unleashed their furies, or whatever that saying was... and it came on so suddenly that it felt unexpected, even though they were totally expecting it! Joel told her to go inside the wagon, but she passionately declared she would never abandon him like that, so they rode on for like... maybe two minutes before Joel gave up the idea of continuing to move forward. They moved sideways instead, towards one of the sparse little clusters of trees in the area... if three can be considered a cluster? ... and 'parked' them there. The horses didn't seem inclined to take off, but Joel hitched one to a tree while Ellie set about clearing space for them in the wagon. There were benches on either side to sit on, but they were covered up with bricks and stuff, and Ellie didn't think they'd be very comfortable on them anyway. She started carving out a cozy little corner amongst the bricks for them to snuggle up in. Completely undoing Joel's careful placement of everything -- ha!
The rain was loud enough on the canvas tarp that she didn't even hear Joel clamber into the wagon -- and she didn't see him until she turned around and blindly bumped into him! "Fuck, Joel--"
"Sorry. What're you doin'? You're puttin' us... right here? In the middle?"
"Well, yeah -- that way we have blocks bricking out the-- er-- ha! I mean bricks blocking the rain in both directions. See?"
"The rain ain't gonna come this far in."
"The wind, then! Unless you can make the tarp close more? On either end? ...Yeah, I didn't think so. Scoot back -- you're in my way!"
He took the bricks she was holding. "Where you puttin' these, boss?"
"Riiiiight... there."
"Here? You're gonna block the path to the back if you stack this any higher."
"So?"
"So, maybe I need to go back there."
She groaned. "You're just trying to be difficult!"
"I'm not, I swear," he chuckled. "You gonna make me go around? Back out in the rain an' the mud--"
"Well, then I suggest you get your ass back there before this pile gets so high you can't get over it," she advised sweetly, and she was happy to see him do exactly that -- he laid the bricks where she said and stepped over them easily, as they weren't even waist-high yet.
"Don't make this any higher 'til I get back!" he called to her from the other side.
"Okay... I'll try not to block you! Haha!"
She couldn't even hear his response to that; the rain drowned his voice out so much that it sounded like he was much farther away. Ellie started blocking herself in instead, figuring Joel could move the bricks to the desired spot when he returned. Her fingers were so cold that she felt like they were going to freeze to one of the bricks. "Fuck, why didn't we bring a blanket?" she muttered.
Not even ten seconds after she said it, Ellie felt something land on her head that made her yelp in surprise -- "We did bring a blanket?!" And no way did he hear me say that just now! She wrestled with it to find the edge.
"The wagon did," Joel replied. "It was in that box back there, built into the side. Along with some rope... a few tools... are you puttin' up a wall between us now?"
Ellie started tugging the blanket snugly around herself. "No, silly, I just had to put them somewhere... hey, I'm gonna get this blanket all wet -- our clothes are too wet! We need to get out of them!" He'll say no, but I bet I can totally talk him into--
"I think you're right. Looks like you made enough space for us... here, gimme those... I'll finish movin' 'em out -- you can just go ahead an' get naked."
That was easy! Ellie practically giggled with glee at the prospect of getting her wish for sex in the wagon -- because there was no way he'd be able to keep things 'all business' if she was like... sitting in his lap with no barriers. She cast the blanket aside and yanked her soaked sweatshirt up over her head. "If it was like... a year ago? Would you have agreed to that so fast?"
"A year ago? Uh... would you have suggested it so fast?" he countered.
"Totally! You're the shy one here!" It did amuse her to imagine how one-year-ago-Joel would have reacted.
"Mm, yep, that's me. Shy as a schoolgirl."
Ellie was indeed completely naked, sitting on the floor with the blanket wrapped around her -- her clothes flung carelessly over one of the walls -- by the time Joel finished arranging the piles. "Your turn!" she chirped.
He dutifully started unbuttoning his shirt. "You wanna make us a window now?"
"...A window? What -- to the front?"
"Yes. Right here. On second thought, let me do it -- you might topple the whole thing over."
"Why the fuck do we need a window? You think someone's gonna try and steal our horses in a storm like this?" she teased.
"You never know. I'd feel better if--"
"Joel -- stop! Don't touch that! Just-- come here. Let me help you."
"How are you gonna help me from down there?"
"Come in closer and you'll see... no, closer! I still can't reach you," she giggled. "Closer -- like an enemy!"
"Yes ma'am. Except I get the feelin' you ain't offerin' to help make a window." He draped the shirt over the far wall and let her tug him down to his knees, leaning in to give her a heated kiss while she yanked up his undershirt (which was actually pretty dry, but Ellie wanted it gone). Unwilling to break the kiss to finish the task, she slid her hands up under the shirt and marveled at how warm his chest felt.
He finished removing the shirt himself and hugged her close. That smile he was giving her was like... the sexiest thing she'd ever seen in her life. Even sexier than his dick, which was obviously pretty sexy, by default, and yet... there's still no comparison, somehow?! "You know... I'm really glad we decided not to wait it out at the farm," she confessed with a smile.
"Glad that I decided, and you didn't fight me on it too much, you mean," Joel corrected her. "You're always fightin' me... maybe you are my enemy..."
Ha! "I'm not fighting you now," she said with a sweet smile. "Fighting your belt, maybe... we're not done getting you naked!" At least the holster belt was off already...
While Joel was wriggling his pants down, she tried to yank the blanket around to include his shoulders; it didn't work very well.
"This is good... I don' need to take 'em all the way off," he decided, stopping at his knees.
"You're not worried we're gonna get attacked or something, are you?" Only half-teasing this time.
"Gear's right here... we're fine."
"Good -- because they at least have to be down far enough that they don't bug me -- work with me here, Joel! Lift this leg a sec--"
He obligingly worked them down to his boots -- and she already knew he wasn't going to take those off. His boxers weren't wet, but Ellie insisted he work those down with his jeans, too (she knew he would thank her later when they stayed dry by virtue of being far away from their privates!).
The blanket was barely covering either of them now, and Joel was finally able to observe her full body nakedness. "You've been sittin' on this dirty floor without your panties on?" he scolded her. "You didn' need to take those off."
Pfff! Not the comment she'd been expecting! Although it's typical Joel, really-- "Don't tell me you expected me to keep them on -- and now you're sitting on it with your bare ass, so..."
"That's just my ass. Nothin' important."
Ellie couldn't grab hold of a butt cheek and squeeze it like she wanted to, but she grabbed as close to it as she could. "Speak for yourself! I happen to think your ass is very important," she grinned.
"You would." He clutched her thigh and tugged it over his own...
...She took the hint and straddled him. "Oh hey, you solved the problem! You're so smart," she snickered.
He reclaimed the blanket and draped it around her. "Not smart enough to get somethin' for me to sit on, though."
"Hmm... where'd you put your-- your shirt's right there--"
"It's fine. I gotta wear that later."
She giggled. "So, don't shit on it then? Just sit on it! Or -- I can grab the shirt you hung up over there--"
But, predictably, he didn't let her actually get up -- he pulled her in close instead. "It's fine," he repeated. "I need to get you warmed up now..."
She grinned and kissed him gently. Shifted herself a bit... mmm, I'm already a lot warmer! He wasn't hard enough yet for her to do anything other than rub against him, but that was all she wanted to do at the moment anyway. "I could get one of those bags for you to sit on," she offered. "The cement or whatever?"
"You need to stay right where you're at," he murmured against her lips. He was holding her pretty snugly, with one arm beneath the blanket and the other on top of it... presumably to keep it from slipping off.
She was basically hugging his neck, one hand massaging the base of it... she kissed him lightly. Teasingly. "Um, didn't you want me to make a window? I don't think we need one, but I want you to feel... you know... comfortable..."
The hand on the back of her head pulled her even closer... his lips were warm and wet, his tongue no longer content being teased... she let him deepen the kiss to a dizzying level this time. As if that didn't already answer her question, he sexy-smiled at her again when they decided to resume breathing. "To hell with the window."
~Continue to Chapter 32~
Fandom: The Last of Us (first game only)
Characters: Ellie, Joel, Tommy, Maria, OCs
Pairings: Joel/Ellie
Warnings: Underage
Word Count for this chapter: 10,427
Rating (for fic as a whole): R
~
"Whoa..." Ellie marveled at the fortress-like farm ahead of them. They had taken two horses -- and the pioneer wagon! Ellie had never gotten to ride in it before. Now if I can just talk him into having sex in it... ha! But, business first. She was sitting on the bench thing in the front and Joel was beside her, driving two horses at once. She couldn't even see where the wall ended when she looked to their left. "You built all this? Wow..."
"Me?" Joel scoffed. "How the hell would I have done it?"
"You were up here for weeks -- that felt like months!" she reminded him. Except actually, it had only been--
"It was one week. One. It was s'posed to be longer, but someone--"
"I know, I know," Ellie said impatiently. "Well, you helped. Fuck -- it's like a mini Jackson!" Although calling it 'mini' felt wrong, because the wall was fucking huge.
"I didn't help much with this part. Last time up, they were still waitin' on materials."
"Which is what we're going to be doing now, for our teensy tiny little wall," Ellie lamented. "Unless someone fucked up the measurements and sent extra, like you said!"
Joel chuckled. "To the tune of a few thousand bricks? Unlikely. Even if they did, this dinky lil' wagon ain't big enough to get 'em all home."
"Multiple trips, that's all. Big deal!"
"Too many multiple trips for my likin'," Joel replied. "This is one-and-done, as far as I'm concerned. Tommy said the wagon might do okay with two thousand pounds, but that's pushin' it. And we need more than that anyhow. What we really need is that eighteen-wheeler."
Why does he keep saying that?! Unless Joel planned on building their wall, like... five times as tall as it needed to be? Ellie failed to see why they needed such a large vehicle. She suspected he was just messing with her. "Whatever! Those are for sleeping in -- or fighting on top of!" she snickered. "They don't actually move."
"Ha. You'll see... next time they send it down instead of the movin' truck, anyhow."
"I hope they do!" If Joel wasn't just messing with her, the plan was to see how much they still needed after today's outing and then send an order with whoever was going to Idaho next. 'Order' as in a request for more, not like... a demand for them to send whatever. Ellie kind of wanted to ride in the fabled vehicle... or even just a regular moving truck... but only if Joel was the driver. They all belonged to the military, though, so... yeah. That was out.
She looked around as Joel veered to their right, following the wall to... where? "So how do we... where's the little thingie?" she asked.
"He said look for a telephone pole. ...You know what those are, don'tcha?"
Ellie gave him a withering look. "I hope you're teasing. Of course I know what they are! You told me they're really utility poles but people call them telephone poles just cuz that's what they've always been called. We've only seen a million of them on the way out here! And in California! Remember -- you accused me of trying to get you electrocuted when I volunteered you to get some power for the resort?"
"That's right. Forgot about that. Well, these ones ain't operational either, far as I know... they figured the thing would blend in on it, though. Looks like a transformer or somethin'. -There -- I bet that's it."
It was the only pole in the vicinity, so -- assuming he had gone the right direction along the wall -- he had to be right. "Way over there?"
"This used to be the front. Guess they want people comin' in closer to the house now. Or maybe the intercom don't have that long of a range."
"So... over there should be the front if it's closer to the house, shouldn't it? Like... don't make visitors trample through your fields to get to you, right?"
"There's a clear path up to the house, smartass. It's nicer-lookin' on this side... the front of the place, compared to the side or the back. No one cares about that anymore though, so--"
"I care! I like nice-looking things."
Joel chuckled. "No you don't: you're with me."
She slugged his arm. "Hey! Fuck you! You're the best-looking guy in town. In the whole world! -Which is the only reason I'm with you, if you must know," she teased.
"Christ... we need to find you some glasses, kiddo."
"Joel, shut up! Are you serious?" Sometimes he just plain liked to mess with her... but sometimes he liked to throw in some half-truths when he did. "Do you really think you're ugly?! How can you think that? Oh my God -- it's all my fault. I'm your girlfriend -- I'm supposed to make you--"
"Calm down... damn, I was just tryin' to be funny. Trust me, I know I'm the hottest catch in Jackson County," he smirked, confident as fuck. Then he gave her a sidelong glance. "That better?"
"Yes!" she laughed, shoving him playfully with her shoulder... and taking the opportunity to just keep leaning into him. "If only you weren't just bullshitting."
"Let's just agree I'm somewhere in the middle. As far as old geezers go."
"Um, no... we'll have to agree to disagree if you think that. You're not a geezer -- and you're smokin' hot, not just average. You just like to say-- oh! And you know what else? Your dick isn't just average, either. It's fucking ginormous."
"Ellie--"
"I knew you were gonna 'Ellie' me for that!" she giggled. "Even though there's no one aaaaanywhere near us. You're so predictable."
"We're almost in. You've gotta be good now."
"First I had to be good cuz we were Out, now I have to be good cuz we're In?"
"Yep."
She wriggled up to whisper in his ear. "What if I wanna have my way with you in the wagon?" It has like a tarp thing over it, so he really shouldn't have any objections...
"Then... you'd best just have yourself a little fantasy about it, 'cause it ain't gonna happen."
"You think so, huh? We'll see about that," she snickered softly, nipping at his ear.
He didn't exactly push her back... it was more like a nudge... but he made it clear he was all business. A little too clear for Ellie's liking.
"You could act like you might actually enjoy that, you know," she pouted.
"And you could act like you're s'posed to when we're in public," he retorted.
"There's nothing wrong with daughters whispering--"
"Knock it off. You were hangin' on me, kissin' me--"
"Oh, you're exaggerating. I was just... playing a little. It wasn't sexual."
He gave her a hard look before pulling up on the reins. "Go flip that cover up an' see if there's a keypad under it. I'm sure you remember the numbers."
She did; Joel had relayed them to her because he liked to say her mind was a steel trap -- meaning they'd stay in there. "Yes sir," she grumbled, making sure to roll her eyes at him before sliding off the seat (in case he didn't already know what she thought of his uber-business...ness!). The lid didn't just flip right up, though. She looked for a little tab or switch or something to pull on.
"It's prob'ly got a--"
"I've got it!" she called back in annoyance... even though she hadn't got it yet. The thing wouldn't budge. She was starting to wonder if there was another box on another pole that they were supposed to go to. There's a gate here, though... this HAS to be it... She heard Joel walking up behind her. Time's up, I guess! "The fucking thing must be busted," she sighed.
"Lemme see." ...And then Joel just flipped the cover right up!
"How did you..."
"I'll show you. See this down here? You have to push it in first, then pull it up an' out." He demonstrated, then snapped it shut. "Now you do it."
She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "But how did you just know-- oh, so this was here when you were up here last! You liar!"
Joel chuckled. "No, I've jus' seen this type of contraption before, that's all. Go ahead."
"No, Mr. Know-it-all, do it yourself, since you're the expert," she sneered.
"I'm no expert. I'm just old."
"You sent me over here to do it cuz you knew I would fail! You wanted me to fail so you could swoop in and--"
"Jesus Christ, Ellie, do you hear yourself? It's a goddamn... box on a pole. Not some... test... or whatever you seem to think. It was on your side of the wagon, and you were curious about it -- that's why I sent you over."
Okay, I might have overreacted just a little... but-- "I'm not touching that stupid thing again. It's all yours." She looked pointedly away -- at the gate they were trying to open, wishing it wasn't so solid that she couldn't see beyond it.
Joel muttered something under his breath and opened the lid again. "You wanna punch in the numbers, at least?"
"You can do that, too," she said dismissively, her attention drawn to the farm now. She heard some kind of power tool noise coming from behind the big two-story house, and wondered what it was doing...
"I can't. I don't remember the numbers."
She glanced back at him. "Yeah, right."
"I'm serious," he insisted, looking quite serious.
Why can I still never tell when he's lying?! Joel seemed to think she could tell, but she couldn't really. Not always. She just happened to guess right sometimes. These numbers were so easy to remember that she figured he had to be lying this time. "I guess you'd better look at your paper, then," she advised haughtily.
"Can't. Left it at home, since I brought you with me."
"Yeah right!" she snorted. "Mr. Prepared-For-Anything deliberately left something useful at home?"
"Which is it, then... am I Know-It-All, or Prepared-For-Anythin'? You gave me two new last names in the past sixty seconds."
"Well, you're both, so I guess it's one of those hyphenated names that some people have. Like if they can't make up their mind about which one to use."
He quirked an eyebrow. "Mr. Know-It-All-dash-Prepared-For-Anythin'? Bit long, ain't it?"
"Will you just type in the fucking numbers already?! Fuck."
"I told you, I can't. I don't--"
"If we keep fighting, someone will eventually hear us and let us in anyway! Or see us... somehow... I guess maybe if they're on the second floor of the house... which, why would they be up there, looking out the window... when everyone else is working..." She felt that Joel really didn't have to be so concerned about her inappropriate behavior earlier; no one on ground level could see shit!
"Good thing they've got this whatchamacallit here instead. Are you gonna help me out or do I have to guess the goddamn numbers?"
She glared at him. "You really have no idea."
"I really don't. Starts with a seven, that's all I remember."
"Practically the whole thing is sevens! Now do you remember?"
Joel turned to the keypad and started slowly punching in the numbers while Ellie watched. "Seven... seven..."
"Nooooo," she groaned. "I said practically -- erase that second one! How do you erase?"
"Can't erase. I'll just have to finish it." He typed in two more sevens, and they both looked at the gate, even though they knew it wouldn't move. "Damn. Well, that's that. It's locked up now 'cause it thinks we were tryin' to break in."
Ellie's eyes widened. "So we're stuck out here 'til someone hears us and comes over?"
" 'fraid so. All because you wouldn't help me," he said lightly.
He's totally bullshitting me now! (Maybe she could tell sometimes.) Exasperated, Ellie marched up to the thing and typed in the correct code. "Seven, four, seven, seven. There." She turned to watch the gate open. It started to swing slowly inwards, much like the Jackson gates. "So how do we close it once we're inside? There's no guards here to do it."
"It's on a timer. We've got ten seconds to get inside... better hurry!"
What the fuck? "Ten-- yeah right!" She watched calmly as Joel tried to sell it by hopping back up on the wagon seat in a hurry.
He actually smiled this time. "Went to the well once too often."
"...What? What well?"
"Means I would've had you if it weren't for you figurin' out the locked keypad thing just now. You disproved that real quick. C'mon up." He patted the seat. "It really is on a timer... I think it's only a minute or two."
Ellie climbed back up next to him. "I still don't see what that has to do with a well."
"Just an old expression. You keep goin' to it and it eventually runs out."
Joel steered the wagon toward the bunkhouse. At least, he said that's where they were going; the house must have been blocking it from view. The land between them and the house really was pretty ugly on this side. All dirt -- not even the patchiest of grass -- with ruts and marks in it, like wheels had gone through the mud and left their tracks to dry. It was a bumpy ride through the ruts. "Okay, I'm done with this thing," Ellie decided, hopping off without waiting for Joel to 'whoa' the horses. "With this tarp in the way, I can't even see if the gate is gonna close behind us!"
She stood there and watched as it started to slowly swing shut, not unlike the gates at Jackson... except no one was controlling this one. Allegedly. There could be someone minding it from the house, for all she knew. Joel could have just made up the timer thing.
The wagon kept trundling on toward the side of the house, and Ellie found she was mildly annoyed that Joel hadn't stopped and told her to get back in. Nor had he scolded her for jumping off. Wait... it bugs me that he's NOT yelling at me? What the fuck is wrong with me? She was just... so used to Joel acting a certain way that sometimes it surprised her when he didn't. It doesn't mean anything, she reminded herself. He had moods that could influence his actions, just like anyone else. Including herself. She didn't always do what Joel expected her to, either.
It just made her want to do something here and now that Joel wouldn't expect. First, she had to figure out what Joel would expect her to do, and then not do that. Some part of her brain registered this little game as petty, or silly... that Joel would never think this way, if their positions were reversed... but it didn't dull the urge to do it. We ARE pretty different, really, even though that makes no sense cuz we're like the same person?! -Okay so I think he'd expect me to just follow the wagon, maybe run to catch up to it... thinking I'd wanna stick close to him cuz this place is unfamiliar to me and I don't know some of these people... nope! I'm going up to the house. I'll see if anyone's in there, and if I don't know them, I'll just introduce myself. This farm was affiliated with Jackson, so Ellie had already filed it in the "our people" category. She didn't have to know them personally to know they didn't pose a threat.
She did follow the wagon somewhat... just angled her path much closer to the house. She had to go around if she wanted to knock on the front door (because usually if a house had both a front and a back door, it was customary to knock on the front -- even if the back one wasn't all boarded up or whatever), and she thought Joel should mentally thank her for staying in his line of sight. That should let him know I'm not mad at him! If I was mad, I'd stay in a blind spot as punishment -- not hard to do with that big old tarp blocking his rear view.
...Except she was pretty sure Joel's brain wouldn't even register nuances like that. Okay so whatever! I'm just GOING.
As Ellie traipsed around to the front, she admired the cheerful-looking house... the walls freshly painted a creamy-white color, the shutters -- and what Joel would call the 'trim' -- a cool gray. She knew the house was actually built before she was even born, but it looked so nice and new! The boards on the stairs and the porch were not-squeaky, and relatively clean. Oops, did I get mud on my shoes? The welcome mat looked almost too nice to wipe her shoes on -- surely that was new, at least -- but wipe them she did (taking care to avoid muddying up the cool black cow silhouette, at least). Already wearing her nice-to-meet-you smile, she knocked on the door.
The person who answered was definitely not who she was expecting. Christine, however, had to be even more surprised to see Ellie. "You're back? That's just great. What are you doing here?"
Ellie instantly dropped the smile. She didn't care to explain her presence, so she ignored the question. "I heard you were up here," she replied coolly. "Didn't know you liked farming so much. ...Oh, wait -- you don't. That's why you're hanging out in the family house while the others are out in the fields doing all the planting and stuff."
"For your information, I live here now," Christine sneered. "So it's my house, too. And you're not welcome here."
Ellie's eyebrows shot up. "Your house? Um, workers live in the other building. The bunkhouse. Not that you're even working... but you're not family. So unless you married that Nolan guy, I think that--"
"For your information," Christine repeated --clearly in love with the phrase for some reason, "it's not finished yet. Only the guys live there right now. And Nolan's already married. Even if he wasn't... banging gross old dudes is your thing, not mine."
Did she really just-- "You fucking bitch!" Ellie couldn't help it; the cunt knew how to make her lose her cool. So much for bygones and shit! But Ellie didn't lunge at her (this time). She noted that Christine had taken a step back, like she was preparing to shut the door if she needed to protect herself. "You don't know what you're talking about. As usual. And Nolan's wife better watch out for you. Does she know you don't care if your... your target -- your victim -- is in a relationship already? That you'll spread your legs for any dick that wanders near your skanky ass? -Your skanky pussy?" she amended... although 'ass' worked just as well, if not better.
The bitch's face was on fire (not an attractive look on her), and Ellie braced for one of two reactions: the door slamming in her face, or the skank's fist trying to connect with her face. But neither of those things happened. Christine actually laughed. It certainly wasn't laughter borne of amusement; Ellie figured the cunt was stalling while she tried to think up a suitable comeback to that.
"I didn't know being called out for being a slut was so funny," Ellie said innocently. "Kinda expected you to deck me -- even though I'm just speaking the fucking truth -- but... oh yeah, that's right -- last time we got into it, I owned you. Pfffff. ...Gee, I'm sorry, I didn't know your face could get any uglier, but it looks like you never recovered from that. Is that why Jacob dumped your skanky ass?" (Yeah, 'ass' does sound better) Never mind the fact that Ellie knew Jacob and Christine had broken up before that. She just couldn't resist that dig!
Christine scowled at her. "For your information, I dumped him -- and fighting like a dude the way you do--"
"You did? Funny, he says he dumped you. You're both lying pieces of shit, so I guess I'll never know the real story. He said... what was it... you were so bad in bed, that he would rather--"
"You are so full of shit. Jacob hates you. He would never tell you anything -- even lies like that."
"Oh wouldn't he? You just keep telling yourself that." Ha! Let her wonder! Ellie wasn't sorry that the slut had interrupted her, as she hadn't actually thought up an adequate he-would-rather insult to finish that sentence. Why did I not prepare some fucking material in advance? ...Because I didn't PLAN to get into it with her... Wait -- I interrupted HER before, though, and that was weird-- "What did you mean about fighting like a dude?"
Christine blinked. "Um... that I'm more of a lady than you are? In case you didn't--"
"Lady of the evening, you mean," Ellie scoffed. Oh SNAP-- good one, Ellie! ...except Christine didn't seem to get it. Ellie only knew the term because she'd had to ask Joel what it meant (and she hadn't even been trying to make him uncomfortable, that time!). He DID say it was old-fashioned... like, before HIS time, even... Annie would totally get it, though, when Ellie shared this exchange with her later. She probably knows more about ANCIENT history than Joel, even! "You don't know what that saying is for, do you. Let me rephrase: whore, prostitute, skank, slut -- take your pick--"
"I know a better one -- about a pot and a kettle... yessss, the pot calling the kettle black."
Uh... what?
Christine smirked. "Let me rephrase, bitch: you're the slut. Everyone in town knows it. Handing out BJs to any boy who-- any man -- yeah. The older, the better, but still--"
"You started those nasty rumors, knowing full well it was all a lie!" Ellie knew her time was limited now; she saw Joel approaching in her peripheral vision (and she wasn't surprised that he hadn't simply continued driving to the bunkhouse without her). He hadn't parked that far away, but it was beyond the front of the house, out of Christine's view. If only I could get her to incriminate herself before she realizes Joel's right there-- "Just admit it! I know it was you! You and that cocksucker Jacob!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," the bitch said innocently... smugly. "I was as surprised as the next person to hear it. I mean... like... why would anyone let you near their junk in the first place?"
Fuck... THINK... but Joel's almost here, so be cool... She shook her head, chuckling to herself to buy a moment to think. "It's so sad. You're so insecure about yourself that you have to take it out on--"
"What's goin' on here?" She heard Joel coming up the porch steps. Saying exactly what she had expected him to.
Christine blanched for a moment before schooling her ugly features back into a sneer. "Should've known you brought your guard dog with you."
Ellie snorted. "He's not my-- I don't need a guard. Like you said -- I fight like a dude! Right, Joel?" She glanced back at him.
He was wearing his customary resting frown, which betrayed nothing of his true mood, or feelings, or thoughts... it just tended to make people think he was angry. "Let's go," was all he said.
"But Christine here was just about to admit that she's the one who started all that shit last year," Ellie protested. "Weren't you, Christine?"
"It wasn't me, you stupid--" The bitch cut herself off this time, perhaps thinking better of whatever she'd been about to call Ellie with Joel standing right there. Ellie couldn't decide if she was annoyed or amused by that; it wasn't like Joel was going to hit Christine for calling Ellie some stupid name (man, wouldn't that be AWESOME, though?!).
"If it wasn't you, who was it, then?" Joel asked tersely.
"How should I know? I had nothing to do with it! I heard it from like... ten different people!"
"You mean you told it TO ten different people," Ellie corrected her. "You're prob'ly the one who threw that rock, too. Just admit it!"
"That wasn't me!"
"Sure it wasn't. Who else hates us so much?" Ellie resisted the urge to look back at Joel again... but he must have been giving Christine quite the deathglare, because the color had drained from her face... and if that's not FEAR in her eyes, I don't know what it is...
When Joel spoke, though, the words came out all level and rational. "Look. If you come clean now, we can talk--"
"I--I can't -- I mean I didn't do it!" she spluttered. "I swear to God!"
A tense pause. "You sure you wanna go that way?" he asked her.
"It's the truth!" the bitch replied.
Did her face turn red again cuz she's lying, or is it self-righteous anger, or what? Ellie wondered. Oh God, I hope Joel can tell!
Joel was still, as Ellie liked to put it, maddeningly calm. " 'Cause if I find out it was you -- doin' either of those things... and then on top of that, you lied about it... to my face..."
Ellie didn't have to look at Joel now; she could 'see' his expression perfectly, as she'd heard him threaten people before.
To her credit, Christine didn't cower like the wuss that she was. "What, you'll... kill me? Kick my ass?" she taunted.
She's fucking TAUNTING Joel now?!
"Neither." (...And apparently he didn't give a shit about her tone.) "But you'll regret it. I will make you pay, little girl."
"I didn't do it!" the bitch repeated, looking a little more appropriately scared.
"Good. Then you've got nothin' to worry about. As long as you leave Ellie alone. ...C'mon, kiddo."
Ugh, did he have to add that last bit about leaving me alone?! "Joel, gimme a sec, would you? I, uh... need to say goodbye to my friend here."
Joel frowned -- actually frown-frowned, not resting-frowned. "I don't think--"
"I won't touch her, I promise."
He clearly didn't want to, but he gave in. "Ten seconds."
"I only need five." She smiled at him sweetly, waited for him to walk away, then turned back to the cunt and scowled in her best imitation of Joel. "He might not kick your ass, but I will," she said in a low enough voice that even Joel with his bat-like hearing couldn't catch it (hooray for construction noises right over there!). "And I won't just break your ugly nose next time."
Christine snorted through said ugly nose. "Whatever. Run on back to Daddy. ...Go suck his dick," she added nastily.
Be like Joel, she commanded herself; she didn't want to give Christine any further satisfaction of seeing her get angry over remarks like that. Oh -- I've got it!-- "You know... I would? But I took care of that in the wagon already, so he's good," she smirked. "Bye!"
The shock on the bitch's face was fucking priceless! Ellie nearly burst out laughing -- she had to quickly turn her back on Christine so as not to ruin the perfection of the moment by showing more than smirk-level amusement. She hurried down the steps and over to Joel before she lost her composure. Okay, so that was very much NOT like Joel... Joel would probably be pissed at her for saying that, actually. He would say she was just adding fuel to the fire, giving the skank more lies to spread -- lies from Ellie's own mouth. But seriously, who would believe it? Ellie had been so totally -- so obviously -- sarcastic just now. And the funny thing is, it's ALMOST true -- only it'll be on the way OUT of here, and I'll be FUCKing him, not SUCKing him!
"You look awfully pleased with yourself," Joel observed.
"Oh, I am!" Ellie admitted, falling in step with him as they headed back to the wagon. "I had it handled, you know. You didn't have to come over. I wasn't going to hit her this time."
"Uh-huh," Joel replied in that way that meant he didn't believe her. "Seemed like you were a little upset, though. Like she was provokin' you. What happened to what you said last night?"
"Uh... what did I say?" Ellie typically babbled so much that she couldn't always pick out what he was referring to, even with context.
"Your... epiphany? About... schoolyard bullshit, I think you called it?"
"Oh, that. Pfff. I didn't hit her, did I?" she pointed out. "-Hey, you called her a little girl... she's actually older than me. You know that, right?"
Joel chuckled. "And your point is?"
Ellie rolled her eyes. "She's not a little girl! Cuz I'm not a little girl, and she's older! See how that works?" Hmm, he does like to call me 'little girl' sometimes... it was a playful thing, though. And he clearly hadn't been playing with Christine just now.
Joel mussed her hair, messing up her ponytail. "You're my baby girl. Always will be."
For some reason, the sweetness of that innocent sentiment sparked something wicked inside Ellie. "I told her I blew you in the wagon," she snickered, delighting in the flicker of surprise she detected in his otherwise-still-cool expression.
"Why the hell would you--"
"I was joking -- like totally sarcastic! I just wanted to see the look on her face! See -- cuz all I do is deny it, right? So instead--"
Joel cut her off with a groan. "Never mind -- this ain't the time or the place to discuss it. We'll talk about it later. Why were you talkin' to that girl in the first place? For the record, if you wanna spy on someone, it usually means sneakin' around to where they don't even know you're there, not... confrontin' 'em directly."
"I didn't know she was gonna answer the door!"
He was scowling as they climbed back up on the bench; Ellie kept a respectful distance. "Was anyone else in there?" he asked. "Anyone who heard your... little comment?"
"No!" Er... not that I know of? Ellie actually wasn't sure if anyone else had been within earshot, silently enjoying the show... but admitting as much to Joel would only trigger a lecture. The bunkhouse was close enough that driving almost seemed silly (although it would also be silly to leave the wagon out there in between the two houses). We don't have long and I HAVE to know-- "Okay, so tell me: was she lying?"
Joel hesitated before answering. "Hard to say. We know she ain't completely innocent. She definitely helped... perpetuate the rumors. Spread 'em... prob'ly embellished 'em an' whatnot. But that don't place her at our house that night -- either of the nights in question. And she was a bit... flustered... but I think she might've been sincere when she said it wasn't her."
Ellie groaned. "She's a good liar! She fooled Annie -- she let Annie think she was her friend! Oh man... if she can fool you, too--"
"Not bein' sure ain't the same as bein' completely snowed by someone," Joel protested. "Never said we should trust her. Or that you two should kiss'n'make up."
"Eww! Fuck that. I would've been nice to her, if she hadn't given me attitude the second she opened the door." Or, at least Ellie liked to think she would have. "You know she said she lives there? Just cuz she's 'working' on the farm -- pretending to."
"She's stayin' there 'til the bunkhouse renovations are done. Her and any other girls that come up here."
"What? Why? Too noisy and dusty for them? It's not like the guys are working on it all night. Right?"
"There's no place for 'em, is the problem. For the girls. No separate rooms... facilities."
"Is that all?" Ellie scoffed. "That shouldn't bother a skank like her. She can just hop from one dude's bed to the--"
"Ellie, knock it off. I know you don't like her, but that don't mean she's... remember all the things you used to call Sophie?"
...Seriously? "That was different! I was wrong about Sophie -- I'm not wrong about Christine."
"No? Hasn't she been with just the one boy?"
"Yeah -- but it was Annie's fucking boyfriend! And now she's--" --shit, Ellie, shut up already -- you promised you wouldn't tell!
"She's what?" Joel prompted.
"Nothing," Ellie sighed. "It's just that... Jacob was so obviously just looking to get his rocks off. He liked her big tits and open legs-- wide open--"
"Ellie-- just-- ...let's just forget it. Craig's comin' in to greet us so be nice, all right?"
"I'm always nice to him! You mean cool it on the dirty talk," Ellie snickered. It never gets old... she still loved making Joel squirm. But she would behave with Craig and whoever else, and keep her opinions of their skanky 'coworker' to herself.
There's only one person up here who NEEDS to know the truth about her...
* * * * * * *
Ellie had been hoping to observe Christine and Colton from the shadows... to see if she could determine whether her friend's hunch was right, or if Annie was possibly just a little paranoid after everything that had happened with Jacob. The problem was that Colton and the whore were never actually alone together. Colton was outside planting with everyone else while Christine was just lounging around the house.
Okay, maybe not JUST lounging... she was single-handedly making lunch for like a couple dozen people, and Ellie would have to grudgingly count that as work. Apparently Christine was the person who usually did it, and overall, she spent minimal time in the fields. Which made Ellie wonder... did she just completely suck at farm work? Did she absolutely despise it? ...Maybe both? If it wasn't something along those lines, maybe she just wasn't that into Colton after all. Because when Ellie was first trying to make Joel love her, she would have signed up to work with him in a heartbeat if she had to -- if it would've given her the opportunity to succeed in her mission. She just hadn't had to resort to that, since they lived together and spent much of their free time together as it was, giving her shitloads of opportunities. What did Christine have? Group meals... probably very little else. Was that really enough for her?
Joel didn't want to stay long, so Ellie tried to glean as much intel as possible from lunch. He wanted to eat outside somewhere, as some of the workers were doing, but she insisted that they squeeze in at the dining room table -- because that's where Christine and Colton were eating (with three people between them, she was happy to note). Naturally, Joel had expected her to want to be as far away from the bitch as possible, so this confused him. "Is this a keep-your-enemies-closer type thing?" he'd taken her aside to ask.
His comment almost made Ellie wish that she hadn't antagonized Christine earlier. She loved that motto about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. If she had taken the high road with the cunt -- like, if she had fake-apologized and made her think she wanted to be friends again and stuff -- maybe Christine would have let her guard down and confessed shit to Ellie. That was probably a long shot, if they were only going to be here for as short a time as Joel wanted... but who knows? Maybe she was dying for someone to talk to? Ellie would assume she dearly missed her roommate/BFF Olivia. At the very least, maybe she would have given Ellie more to go on here, because the slut wouldn't be wasting half of their lunchtime shooting her dirty looks. Too little too late, but Ellie either ignored these or gave her a little smile in return. Like, not an evil grin or a superior sneer or any other flavor of smile that wasn't meant to be a kind gesture. (Basically just to fuck with her, at this point.) Christine never returned them. Just kept glaring.
If the skank was trying to convey her hatred of Ellie to Colton, however, she seemed to be wasting her time; Colton took pretty much no notice of Christine (and not for lack of trying on Christine's part, Ellie noted with interest). In fact, Ellie was pretty sure that if there was anyone Annie did need to worry about, it wasn't Christine... it was this new Idaho chick named Frankie. Except... well, Frankie wasn't what Ellie would consider pretty. Like, at all. She dressed like a guy... which, to be fair, Ellie kinda did too... along with plenty of other people -- men's clothes tended to be more practical. But her features were masculine enough that Ellie even mistook her for a guy at first (couldn't Frankie be a boy name too?). Her hair was hidden under a trucker's cap (or so Joel called them -- even though no one trucked anymore), with maybe a tiny ponytail in the back, though Ellie never got a decent view of it... it might have just been extremely short. If Frankie had any boobs to speak of, they were well-hidden under the baggy overalls and flannel shirt. Even her voice wasn't all that feminine... kind of loud and obnoxious-sounding. Ellie only knew for certain she was a woman when someone referred to her in the third person. The thing that made Ellie suspicious of her was that out of everyone at the table, Colton interacted with her the most... her and his brother, Logan. The three of them came across as very good friends.
In spite of her worries, by the time they'd finished eating, Ellie had decided Frankie was her favorite person at the table (besides Joel, naturally). She was high-spirited, funny as fuck, and -- perhaps best of all -- Christine was clearly not a fan. Frankie was quite a bit older than Colton (Ellie did manage to get her to disclose that she was thirty-three), but that didn't necessarily matter -- obviously! Fuck, compared to me and Joel, everyone else is practically the same age as each other! There were about fourteen years between Colton and Frankie, which was less than half the number of years between herself and Joel. And besides that, Joel had told her it wasn't as skeevy when the woman was the older one. So sexist -- and dumb!
When it was time to go, Ellie had made a point of seeking out Christine to "thank her for lunch." (She refrained from mentioning that if the sandwiches hadn't all just been sitting there on the platter up for grabs, she never would've eaten anything the bitch had her hands in because she didn't trust her not to spit in hers -- or worse.) Christine didn't buy Ellie's sweetness act for one second, but she didn't call her out, either -- probably because Joel was with her... or maybe she just really wants me to leave! And Ellie had been all prepared to act like Christine was insanely imaginative if she dared to reference the blow job remark -- whether it was in front of the group or not -- but Christine never brought it up.
"Was that really necessary?" Joel asked as they headed out to the wagon.
"What, saying bye to her? Yes! Because you're right -- I need to keep my enemies close." Maybe she'll forget that I just threatened to kick her ass a couple hours ago? -Actually, it didn't even matter now; by all appearances, Christine didn't have a chance in hell with Colton. I think Annie's probably right about her interest in him, though... and I wouldn't put it past her to try something sneaky...
"So... your super-secret recon mission. Was it a success?"
Ellie sighed. "Yes and no. I didn't learn... what I thought I would." And I can't tell you anything else! Sorry! Don't make me have to say it!
But thankfully, Joel didn't ask her anything else... if only because he had the wagon and horses to busy himself with. Ellie waited by the gate button near the back door until he called to her from the bench/seat thing. Then she pressed the button and scrambled to join him.
Joel chuckled. "I think the two minutes starts after they get all the way open. Otherwise someone travelin' by themselves wouldn't have time to--"
"Whatever! Just -- no need to waste time moving slow, right?" She smirked at him. "I can't believe you had to check the wagon -- like look inside it -- because... what, maybe some hunter snuck in while we were eating lunch?"
"I was makin' sure everythin' we loaded up was still as we left it."
Which... was almost as bad, really. "Really? It's so heavy -- who's gonna steal it?"
"Maybe it wasn't sittin' right and somethin' fell over."
He's so cute! "Oh no! Maybe the weight wouldn't be perfectly evenly distributed then! One little brick might break the wagon!"
He was annoyingly immune to her teasing. "The more even it is, the better. That's all."
She suspected it was just so ingrained in him to check things out after leaving their sight that he couldn't help himself. Because he couldn't just drive off when there was even the slightest possibility there was a stowaway, or that some stuff was missing or messed up... whatever. He had to have the image in his head of what it looked like right now or it would drive him crazy. SO cute. "Love you, Joel." She kissed his cheek, even (they were out of sight of everyone, so he shouldn't care).
"You'll love me even more when we don't bust an axle on the way back."
"I will," she had to agree. "I already love you more for letting me go see the animals and stuff instead of doing all that boring loading." She may have orchestrated that herself by shooting a yearning look or two in the direction of the paddocks when she knew he would see it...
"Like I said. Sometimes it's faster when you don't help me."
Which was true -- and it wasn't like he didn't have plenty of people helping him. If he hadn't let her go, they would still be there visiting all the animals right now, because Ellie couldn't just ignore them -- especially the transplants she knew from Jackson! -- so it was definitely in his best interest to not have her help.
They drove through the gate and turned right. Ellie leaned out to watch behind them to make sure it closed; she had to watch for kind of a long time before it actually did. Even the slowest of slow pokes would have no trouble getting through that thing. Someone could totally just wait there for someone to leave and then go right on in, she couldn't help thinking -- by listening to the Joel voice in her head, really -- but, with as little traffic as the farm apparently got, they could be waiting for days and days... if it was a group of hunters, they'd find another way in if they really wanted to. Ellie had observed rifles mounted over both doors in the house, and some of the residents were armed as well... I guess it'll have to be enough. But I'm really glad we live somewhere with even MORE protection.
And, as she so often did, she felt extremely lucky to be with Joel. It didn't matter that bad shit had happened to them -- Ellie still felt safer with him than with anyone else. I will ALWAYS feel this way! Because it's not just a feeling -- I AM safest with him. It's just fucking TRUE.
Joel was frowning up at the sky. "Don't think we're gonna make it home before this hits."
"Which is why we should've just stuck around to wait it out," she complained. He had been really quick to shoot down that suggestion at lunch.
"And come home in the dark? No thank you. I told you, we can't go as fast on the way back with a full--"
"You don't know if it would've been dark -- maybe this'll be one of those quickies!" Ellie snickered. "Speaking of quickies..."
"No," Joel said without even a hint of amusement. "You wanna tell me what your lunch antics were all about?"
"My... antics?" she laughed. "No, not really."
"Tell me anyhow."
"I don't know what you mean! What antics?"
"Bein' friendly to that girl, for one thing, but I think we established it's honey versus vinegar. Besides--"
"It's what?"
"Like keepin' your enemies closer. 'You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar,' is the expression I was referrin' to. Not just that. Just... you seemed pretty comfortable with the group..."
"So?!"
"Let me finish," he chuckled. "Usually when you're comfortable, you like talkin' to people. Especially when they're tryin' to talk to you. And especially-especially when a subject comes up that you happen to love."
She wondered what he was getting at. "What, the Beatles thing? There were so many people talking at once I just didn't hear him!"
"There were also a couple times when people asked about California -- I answered 'em 'cause you weren't payin' attention, and even then, you didn't--"
"Maybe I'm just sick of talking about it," she said defensively.
"I don't think so. I think you were real interested in some of the other conversations goin' on. Conversations you weren't even participatin' in... for the most part."
Well, if he insists on grilling me about it, I might as well get his opinion! She could do that without betraying Annie. "Joel, did you notice anything like... do you think there might be something going on with Colton and that Frankie chick?"
The question seemed to surprise him. "Uh... don' know, don't care. Why do you care?"
"I'm just wondering! At first I thought... maybe? Like cuz he laughed at her little jokes and stuff? But then I thought, well, no, that could just be cuz she was actually funny. And they didn't try to touch each other or anything... but maybe just cuz that's hard to do when they're not sitting next to each other, right? I mean, she can't exactly just lean across Logan to randomly poke him in the arm. Kinda rude. Besides that -- the vibe was more like a... like a one of the guys thing, with her. The only time she really emphasized being a girl was the bathroom thing -- and like, okay, referring to private parts might be considered flirting -- except it was funny, and they weren't being flirty, really? Neither of them. At least I don't think they were. Do you think so? -Wait -- never mind, you didn't even notice I was in love with you for a million years. Oh -- not just that -- cuz maybe I'm bad at flirting -- or I was back then? I think I'm better now -- but you didn't even notice when fucking Sophie was flirting with you, back when I thought she was a skank! So why am I even asking you? You're like... completely oblivious to all this stuff, aren't you." She patted his arm. "It's okay. You're not stupid, you're just a guy."
Joel waited a moment to answer, like he was unsure if it was his turn to speak now. "Those two things ain't mutually exclusive, as I'm sure you know," he chuckled. "Is that why you were so distracted? All this shit was goin' through your brain an' you were tryin' to sort it out?"
"I guess? So -- okay. Not to be mean, but... Frankie's not really... pretty. Right? She's not ugly or anything, just not..." Actually, that word had crossed Ellie's mind at first, but by the end of lunch, she thought the woman had a really nice -- and infectious -- smile, and that she was almost pretty, in a certain way. She's definitely prettier than fugly old Christine!
"Is this some kind of test?" Joel asked warily.
"What? No... why would it be a test?"
"Am I s'posed to agree with you or disagree with you? Just tell me the right answer so I can say it an' not get myself in trouble."
"There's no 'right answer', I'm asking your opinion!" she huffed.
"Uh-huh."
He's being all weird about this because... WHY? ...Holy shit -- should I be worried about JOEL liking her? Ellie had pretty much ignored Joel entirely through the whole meal. Maybe she should've been paying more attention to his reactions to Frankie! "Oh my God... do you like her?"
"Sure. You do, too -- I could tell."
Aaargh, he's so-- "No, I mean-- do you like her," Ellie clarified. "Like that."
He seemed to find this amusing. "Now you're jealous? Didn't see that comin'. Guess I should have. Every time we get around new--"
"Do you or don't you?" Ellie asked impatiently... although she took his amusement as a good sign. At least he's not defensive and angry, like he gets sometimes if I say something that's true but he doesn't wanna admit it?
"Of course not. I only have eyes for one person. And she's sittin' right next to me."
Ellie scooted closer to him, mollified. "Okay then."
"Even if she does drive me crazy sometimes... behaves in ways I don't understand..."
She smiled slyly. "All part of my charm-- no, my mystery. I'm a mystery novel -- a really good one! -- and you have to keep turning the pages to see what happens next."
He slung his arm around her and drew her in close. "I'm hooked, all right."
Ellie leaned into him happily. "Okay... so you didn't answer my first question. Which was not a test, by the way. Do you think, like... -If someone liked Frankie a lot, they would think she's pretty, right? Because she's... not ugly.... she's just not... you know..."
"She ain't you. But, no one is, so... that ain't a fair standard to judge by."
"Whatever," Ellie mumbled. "So... yes?"
Joel kissed the top of her head. "Homely, I think is the word you're lookin' for. Not attractive in the traditional sense, maybe, but she's got other things goin' for her, personality-wise. Sometimes... a person can grow on ya. They get more attractive the more you get to know 'em. Now, do I think that that boy has a thing for her? No clue. I'd still like to know why you care. Is this about him, or about her?"
Ellie groaned. "It's about... I'm just curious, okay? Jeez, just forget it. Didn't think you were gonna make such a big thing of it."
"I'm the one makin' a big thing of it?"
"Yes!"
"All right, well, if you're satisfied with my answer now, we can just drop it."
"Good! ...Oh man -- did you feel that?"
"Feel what?"
"It's sprinkling! Fuck!"
"...I don't feel it. Might be your imagination. Looks like it's up ahead still."
"I'll go get the ponchos. Where did you--"
"I didn't. Didn't bring 'em."
"Seriously?" How un-Joel-like!
"Seriously. Guess you'd better take back your... what was that name you gave me... Mr. Prepared-For-Everythin'?"
"Aww -- you can still keep the name. It's probably my fault. You were gonna pack them and I distracted you or something."
"Mm. I could use that excuse for lotsa things."
"Yep! ...Maybe you're right, though -- maybe it was my imagination. I don't feel any more sprinkles. Maybe it won't even rain until we get home!"
"No, it's comin'. I give it ten or fifteen minutes."
Joel was pretty much right about that; it was about fifteen or twenty minutes later when the skies unleashed their furies, or whatever that saying was... and it came on so suddenly that it felt unexpected, even though they were totally expecting it! Joel told her to go inside the wagon, but she passionately declared she would never abandon him like that, so they rode on for like... maybe two minutes before Joel gave up the idea of continuing to move forward. They moved sideways instead, towards one of the sparse little clusters of trees in the area... if three can be considered a cluster? ... and 'parked' them there. The horses didn't seem inclined to take off, but Joel hitched one to a tree while Ellie set about clearing space for them in the wagon. There were benches on either side to sit on, but they were covered up with bricks and stuff, and Ellie didn't think they'd be very comfortable on them anyway. She started carving out a cozy little corner amongst the bricks for them to snuggle up in. Completely undoing Joel's careful placement of everything -- ha!
The rain was loud enough on the canvas tarp that she didn't even hear Joel clamber into the wagon -- and she didn't see him until she turned around and blindly bumped into him! "Fuck, Joel--"
"Sorry. What're you doin'? You're puttin' us... right here? In the middle?"
"Well, yeah -- that way we have blocks bricking out the-- er-- ha! I mean bricks blocking the rain in both directions. See?"
"The rain ain't gonna come this far in."
"The wind, then! Unless you can make the tarp close more? On either end? ...Yeah, I didn't think so. Scoot back -- you're in my way!"
He took the bricks she was holding. "Where you puttin' these, boss?"
"Riiiiight... there."
"Here? You're gonna block the path to the back if you stack this any higher."
"So?"
"So, maybe I need to go back there."
She groaned. "You're just trying to be difficult!"
"I'm not, I swear," he chuckled. "You gonna make me go around? Back out in the rain an' the mud--"
"Well, then I suggest you get your ass back there before this pile gets so high you can't get over it," she advised sweetly, and she was happy to see him do exactly that -- he laid the bricks where she said and stepped over them easily, as they weren't even waist-high yet.
"Don't make this any higher 'til I get back!" he called to her from the other side.
"Okay... I'll try not to block you! Haha!"
She couldn't even hear his response to that; the rain drowned his voice out so much that it sounded like he was much farther away. Ellie started blocking herself in instead, figuring Joel could move the bricks to the desired spot when he returned. Her fingers were so cold that she felt like they were going to freeze to one of the bricks. "Fuck, why didn't we bring a blanket?" she muttered.
Not even ten seconds after she said it, Ellie felt something land on her head that made her yelp in surprise -- "We did bring a blanket?!" And no way did he hear me say that just now! She wrestled with it to find the edge.
"The wagon did," Joel replied. "It was in that box back there, built into the side. Along with some rope... a few tools... are you puttin' up a wall between us now?"
Ellie started tugging the blanket snugly around herself. "No, silly, I just had to put them somewhere... hey, I'm gonna get this blanket all wet -- our clothes are too wet! We need to get out of them!" He'll say no, but I bet I can totally talk him into--
"I think you're right. Looks like you made enough space for us... here, gimme those... I'll finish movin' 'em out -- you can just go ahead an' get naked."
That was easy! Ellie practically giggled with glee at the prospect of getting her wish for sex in the wagon -- because there was no way he'd be able to keep things 'all business' if she was like... sitting in his lap with no barriers. She cast the blanket aside and yanked her soaked sweatshirt up over her head. "If it was like... a year ago? Would you have agreed to that so fast?"
"A year ago? Uh... would you have suggested it so fast?" he countered.
"Totally! You're the shy one here!" It did amuse her to imagine how one-year-ago-Joel would have reacted.
"Mm, yep, that's me. Shy as a schoolgirl."
Ellie was indeed completely naked, sitting on the floor with the blanket wrapped around her -- her clothes flung carelessly over one of the walls -- by the time Joel finished arranging the piles. "Your turn!" she chirped.
He dutifully started unbuttoning his shirt. "You wanna make us a window now?"
"...A window? What -- to the front?"
"Yes. Right here. On second thought, let me do it -- you might topple the whole thing over."
"Why the fuck do we need a window? You think someone's gonna try and steal our horses in a storm like this?" she teased.
"You never know. I'd feel better if--"
"Joel -- stop! Don't touch that! Just-- come here. Let me help you."
"How are you gonna help me from down there?"
"Come in closer and you'll see... no, closer! I still can't reach you," she giggled. "Closer -- like an enemy!"
"Yes ma'am. Except I get the feelin' you ain't offerin' to help make a window." He draped the shirt over the far wall and let her tug him down to his knees, leaning in to give her a heated kiss while she yanked up his undershirt (which was actually pretty dry, but Ellie wanted it gone). Unwilling to break the kiss to finish the task, she slid her hands up under the shirt and marveled at how warm his chest felt.
He finished removing the shirt himself and hugged her close. That smile he was giving her was like... the sexiest thing she'd ever seen in her life. Even sexier than his dick, which was obviously pretty sexy, by default, and yet... there's still no comparison, somehow?! "You know... I'm really glad we decided not to wait it out at the farm," she confessed with a smile.
"Glad that I decided, and you didn't fight me on it too much, you mean," Joel corrected her. "You're always fightin' me... maybe you are my enemy..."
Ha! "I'm not fighting you now," she said with a sweet smile. "Fighting your belt, maybe... we're not done getting you naked!" At least the holster belt was off already...
While Joel was wriggling his pants down, she tried to yank the blanket around to include his shoulders; it didn't work very well.
"This is good... I don' need to take 'em all the way off," he decided, stopping at his knees.
"You're not worried we're gonna get attacked or something, are you?" Only half-teasing this time.
"Gear's right here... we're fine."
"Good -- because they at least have to be down far enough that they don't bug me -- work with me here, Joel! Lift this leg a sec--"
He obligingly worked them down to his boots -- and she already knew he wasn't going to take those off. His boxers weren't wet, but Ellie insisted he work those down with his jeans, too (she knew he would thank her later when they stayed dry by virtue of being far away from their privates!).
The blanket was barely covering either of them now, and Joel was finally able to observe her full body nakedness. "You've been sittin' on this dirty floor without your panties on?" he scolded her. "You didn' need to take those off."
Pfff! Not the comment she'd been expecting! Although it's typical Joel, really-- "Don't tell me you expected me to keep them on -- and now you're sitting on it with your bare ass, so..."
"That's just my ass. Nothin' important."
Ellie couldn't grab hold of a butt cheek and squeeze it like she wanted to, but she grabbed as close to it as she could. "Speak for yourself! I happen to think your ass is very important," she grinned.
"You would." He clutched her thigh and tugged it over his own...
...She took the hint and straddled him. "Oh hey, you solved the problem! You're so smart," she snickered.
He reclaimed the blanket and draped it around her. "Not smart enough to get somethin' for me to sit on, though."
"Hmm... where'd you put your-- your shirt's right there--"
"It's fine. I gotta wear that later."
She giggled. "So, don't shit on it then? Just sit on it! Or -- I can grab the shirt you hung up over there--"
But, predictably, he didn't let her actually get up -- he pulled her in close instead. "It's fine," he repeated. "I need to get you warmed up now..."
She grinned and kissed him gently. Shifted herself a bit... mmm, I'm already a lot warmer! He wasn't hard enough yet for her to do anything other than rub against him, but that was all she wanted to do at the moment anyway. "I could get one of those bags for you to sit on," she offered. "The cement or whatever?"
"You need to stay right where you're at," he murmured against her lips. He was holding her pretty snugly, with one arm beneath the blanket and the other on top of it... presumably to keep it from slipping off.
She was basically hugging his neck, one hand massaging the base of it... she kissed him lightly. Teasingly. "Um, didn't you want me to make a window? I don't think we need one, but I want you to feel... you know... comfortable..."
The hand on the back of her head pulled her even closer... his lips were warm and wet, his tongue no longer content being teased... she let him deepen the kiss to a dizzying level this time. As if that didn't already answer her question, he sexy-smiled at her again when they decided to resume breathing. "To hell with the window."
~Continue to Chapter 32~