Fandom Tale of Two Survivors { The Last of Us 1x1 with icedthemoon }

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

He looked at Nate, curious as to just what he was going to say. He twisted his fingers together as he waited. Alex considered Nate's question, watching as he turned to the cabinets. "If we had a place like the farmhouse? It would be something I'd consider yes. If I knew it was safe for them. My problem like you said, I can't have them myself, I'd have to find a woman. They don't exactly have kids that you can just take and raise" He said, looking down at his hands. He would've taken a wife if he hadn't left, and probably had kids, but they'd raised like he was and he couldn't do that to them. "In theory? Yes. If we had a safe peaceful place to raise them, then I would absolutely want them." He said, turning to a cabinet beside him, searching through it. Canned beans and more canned corn in this one. He pulled them out and shoved them in his bag as he waited for a response to his answer.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

We. If we had a farmhouse. If we had a safe place. Nate knew that he was the one to say we first. He knew this was the future they had been talking about that he was adding in a new level to the fantasy. Not just a sprawling farm with acres full of animals and crops. Not just a beautiful, big house with decorated rooms. Not just parties with confetti, shakers, and freshly made bread. Not just a nice bed to sleep in that was warm, cozy, and had Alex in it too. Also kids. We and safe. We and absolutely. He didn’t know how to take that. We. Was that a if we have a safe place, I want kids or an if We have a safe place, I want us to have kids? Because the distinction was a little bit terrifying, and not because Nate was opposed to it. If the world was safe, bringing up life was the most beautiful thing. If the world was safe, he would love a big, happy family. If the world was safe.

Nate hadn’t actually looked in the cabinet. Not much. Look in a drawer. Some scissors and tape. He already had a lot of those. “Yeah,” he said a little quieter than even their quieter speaking. “Yeah, me too.” And he realized that he really meant that. But he didn’t know exactly what he meant. Whether he was agreeing with one interpretation or another.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex looked over at Nate. He realized that he'd used the we in each sentence. The quiet 'yeah' drew Alex away from his search to look at Nate. Did he not want the farmhouse dream too? Alex thought that they'd decided if they can find it, they'd stay together. In Washington with Nate's group. Alex didn't know what to make of such a quiet response. "Did I say something wrong?" He couldn't help but ask. He wasn't sure if he'd been overly forward in his answers. He did want children, he did want the big farmhouse with animals and a farm, a cozy soft bed with Nate beside him, and overall he just wanted to be with Nate and he had no idea how to even handle that. Alex looked in another cabinet and found some canned carrots and another couple cans of corn. He shoved all the cans in his pack, while he waited for Nate to answer him.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

The question made Nate’s entire being freeze, drop from somewhere too high, and shatter. His face fell, stomach flipped upside down. He shouldn’t have said that. He shouldn’t have made him feel like that. No, that was not what he meant to do. He didn’t know what to do, and he faltered, and that was absolutely not what was supposed to happen. He twisted around immediately. “No, no of course not.” He meant to just step nearer to Alex, but the kitchen was so small that suddenly they were right there with each other. His entire face burned like the sun shone only on him. “No you didn’t, it’s just I- um.” he swallowed hard, trying to sift through the emotions. “I want-“ it should not have been so difficult to say these things out loud. He was not supposed to be the shy one. And yet, as his chest rose and fell like he just ran a marathon, he turned to another section of the kitchen to find a pack of granola bars that he held in his hands too tightly. “I want that too.” When he was looking away, it was mildly less scary. “Big farmhouse. Lots of land. Cows and sheep and goats or something. Wheat and carrots and I don’t know potatoes.” He laughed. “Full kitchen, full house. Big house for a um. A big family. “He paused and smiled at the granola bars he held on the counter. “Which would be admittedly hard to get without someone who can actually, you know, have kids. But.” He placed the bars in his pack. “It is a beautiful dream.”
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex had turned to look at Nate, not expecting him to not only say that Alex hadn't said anything wrong but to step so they were right in front of each other. Alex swallowed as he looked at Nate. He didn't know what to say, he really didn't. He heard Nate say that he wanted it too. The big farm house, land, livestock and even a big family. Alex looked down, he knew it was impossible to have kids considering they couldn't have them. Alex froze when he heard the last piece. 'A beautiful dream' Was this all it was? A dream, a fantasy that they lived in. "Right, a beautiful dream." Alex finally managed to speak. What else could he say? Was there anything else he could say? "We uh we should move on" Alex said softly. It was the only thing he could think of.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

For a moment, all the weight of his predicament disappeared, and he felt almost light. It was like all their problems were gone, because he just admitted to everything. He didn’t, of course, because that was never how anything worked. He didn’t say that it was the same dream that was always his wish for the future. He didn’t say that he would fight for that dream to be reality. He didn’t know he had to. Not even when Alex spoke, because who was he to judge an awkward answer? He himself had just been so awkward. So when Alex suggested they moved on, he agreed but not like someone who just said that everything they decided together was all pretend. No. He, still facing a cabinet, reached out a hand and took Alex’s. He wanted it to say the words he struggled to say. Let’s find a big house for our big family. Our like we. You and me together. And then he walked them into the living room.
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex sighed as he looked at Nate. He didn't want the farmhouse to be a dream, he wanted it badly. So bad he could picture it sometimes. The large farmhouse, the land and all the livestock scattered around while he and Nate sat on a couch on the porch, peaceful, relaxed. Together. He was broken from his thoughts when he felt Nate take his hand, walking them into the living room. When they got in there, Alex began searching for anything remotely useful, but really only finding some alcohol and a couple pieces of broken scissors. "Anything interesting?" He asked, looking over at Nate.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Nate walked through the living room a bit in a daze. His mind was conflicted as he moved. Part of him desperately wanted to keep the conversation going. He wanted to cement these big ideas as either dreams that they could share but would eventually die away or as dreams they really wanted to work towards. The other part was terrified of it and happy to run away. What if he was misreading. What if Alex was happy to dream with him as something to do? What if Alex was just kind? That was the scariest part of everything. What if Nate was wrong?

He poked through several things, finding nothing, and was just about to leave when he stopped in front of a bookshelf. There were plenty of interesting books, sure, but one was sticking out a little more. He reached for it and pulled it out. “Huh. Interesting knots.” He walked over to Alex, handing him what appeared to be a manual. “That is fascinating. I never considered doing that to an improvised weapon.” He looked over his shoulder at the metal bat he had taken. “Fascinating,” he repeated before offering his hand for Alex.
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex was thinking too much at the moment, especially since he should be paying attention to their surroundings. Alex wasn't sure of anything anymore, he just knew that he wanted to fight for this dream with Nate. He didn't say anything, choosing to keep his thoughts to himself. It was safer that way. Alex looked over at Nate when he walked over. Alex looked at the manual, flipping through some pages. "Huh, neither have I" He admitted. Of course, the only weapon Alex used was the bow so it wasn't something that probably would've caught his attention anyway. Alex took Nate's hand, letting him lead them to the bathroom next.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Nate stuffed the manual into his pack and led them to the bathroom. Boring bathroom with boring bathroom things. For a moment, he caught a glimpse of the two of them in the mirror, and he found himself shocked by the look of them. How similar. How different. Though they had been traveling together a while, Nate never really considered what they looked like next to each other. Alex was several inches taller and had significantly more muscles. Between the bow and his tree climbing, he was a powerful force. Nate with his kind of goofy glasses and his beginning to get kind of scruffy face looked somehow younger even if he was older by several years. There was a lot about them that he felt was strangely swapped. Only nineteen, but he was having to guide Nate in more ways than a map. He had to ground him when Nate could not. In the mirror, Nate found their clasped hands. He studied them together as one unit. What would he assume if her were watching from an outside perspective? Who were they when they moved?

“Well, I don’t see anything useful in here. Apparently these people didn’t keep drugs around, which I think is rude to us.” He smiled, trying to push away his own tension, and moved to the door to head to the bedroom. “Maybe we’ll find some clothes for you this time?”
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex looked at them in the mirror as well, he hated how he looked with the ugly scars on his cheeks. He had never realized just how much taller he was compared to Nate. It was weird seeing them standing together, side by side in the mirror. Two very different people, where Alex has muscles and height, where Nate was smaller and didn't look his age. He didn't know what strangers would see when they look at the two of them. The taller muscled one with scars on his face and the shorter, glasses wearing man beside him. He sighed, looking around the bathroom a moment later. "How dare they not keep any drugs around" Alex said with a small quiet laugh. He followed behind Nate and into the bedroom. "Maybe, that would be nice." He said as they made their way into the bedroom.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Nate moved into the bedroom and paused to examine it. It had the same sized bed as the last and was in mildly less well-kept conditions. On the nightstand was a picture, and even though it was not at all what they were looking for, he went straight to it. He lifted it and looked. Three people, two men and a woman, all stood next to one another with their arms over the next’s shoulders. They smiled towards the camera with snow falling on their caps. The woman in the middle of shorter than the two men. “Pictures mean whoever was here was older or kept the picture from before the outbreak.” His smile mirrored those in the picture. “They look so happy. I hope they are okay.” He placed the photograph back down and opened the drawer. There were a couple of parts he could take from other pieces that could be useful.
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex followed him into the bedroom. He noticed that the bed wasn't as well kept in this apartment. So they would not camp here. He looked over at Nate when he made his way to the nightstand, looking at a picture of three people. Alex stepped over, looking over Nate's shoulder at the image. "I can't imagine what it was like to be so happy then have the world fall apart" Alex said softly. He hoped they were okay but he'd seen enough that he wasn't so sure. Alex looked at Nate as he put the picture down and checked the nightstand. Alex walked over to the closet, sifting through. These clothes looked more his size. He pulled off his tunic to try on a blue shirt that looked in reasonable condition, there weren't any pants but a few more shirts like this and a jacket. All in okay condition. He slid them into his pack before turning around. "What do you think?" He asked Nate.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Nate moved to the dresser to sift through just in case there was something in there that could have been of use. He grabbed a couple pairs of socks that looked that they were better than others then turned to face him. Alex in his new blue shirt still mostly just looked like Alex. The shirt was close enough to his size. “I think you look like you come from my world now.” He laughed and joined him in the closet. “Any jackets to replace my, um, weathered one?” Weathered seemed like a nicer term than bitten and shredded. He stepped inside to paw through, not really paying attention to how small the closet was and how very close they had to be to do this. “No, guess not. That’s okay! At least we got something for you.” He spun around and lightly tapped at Alex’s cheek. He almost laughed at himself as he took in this man who was probably the most beautiful individual he had ever met. “Mm, tall drink of iced tea. Alright, Mama, I get it now.” He grinned wide then slid out of the closet and towards the door, hand out now out of habit. “Shall we try another?”
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex smiled when he heard Nate. "Do I? Works for me" He said with a small quiet laugh. Alex felt Nate join him in the closet, the small closet where they were right beside each other closely. Alex blushed lightly as he watched Nate look around for a new jacket. "Maybe the next closet" Alex said, blushing again when Nate tapped his cheek. His head tilted in confusion as he heard the comment. "What does that mean?" He asked, taking Nate's hand to lead go find another apartment to search.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

“My mama came from the southern parts of the United States before Outbreak Day. She said a whole lot of strange phrases that honestly don’t make a whole lotta sense, though they might have made more if I’d been there with her.” Nate walked them out of the bedroom and through the small living room to the apartment door. “I’ve picked up a lot of them, which I’m sure you’ve heard.” He poked his head out to quietly listen in the hall. Nothing. He poked his head back in. “They loved iced tea in the south apparently. Having one of those tall glasses filled to the brim was supposed to be one of the prettiest, most appealing things you could get.” He smiled at what he was about to say, color already moving across his cheeks. “So, she was always talking about people who were tall drinks of iced tea. I get that now.” Then he moved down the hall to the next closed door. Open. As in the door was open. Well that was just strange since the others were closed. He peered inside, suspicious.
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex listened to Nate as he talked about his mom. Some things were matching up, like some of the things he says or how he says them. He liked it though, it made Nate, Nate. He followed Nate through the apartment, and waited as he checked the hallway. Alex blushed when he heard the explanation of what Nate had said when they'd been in the closet. So, was Alex a tall drink of iced tea to Nate? Did he want to be? Yes. Alex followed Nate through the hall but the door was open. Alex listened as he stepped closer. There was still light shining through, but he didn't hear anything. "What do you think we should do?" Alex whispered, unsure if they should risk going in and having to fight or just bypass the apartment altogether.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Nate took another moment to listen. Still nothing. He scanned the immediate surroundings. There were no signs of that horrible growing fungus on the walls. No spores in the air. “Maybe it’s just open?” he whispered back, tightening his grip on Alex’s hand. “Are the other ones open?” he asked not able to lean out and see the other doors. He didn’t want to take his eyes off of the room in case something was in there. He wished he had Ben’s ears. He could always hear them before anyone else. He could tell the infected were near even before they got to the room. Maybe it was because Nate’s mind was always go everywhere at once. He wished he could focus better.
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex wasn't sure. He listened closely and he didn't hear anything but he wasn't so sure if he could, especially with his focus torn between the room and the tightening grip Nate had on his hand. Alex looked back down the hall. "Just the ones we've been in are open" He said softly. "Let me in, I can't hear anything." He wanted to put himself first this time, he could handle whatever was there.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Nate slowly and quietly took a step inside and moved out of the way so that Alex could come in with him. He crouched low so that he was behind a lounge chair that was closer to the entrance. He eyed the kitchen. Nothing there. He eyed the living room. Nothing inside. All he could see of the bathroom and bedroom was rhetorical empty hall, though he could see that both doors were open. He touched Alex’s arm and nodded down the hall. That was the only other place someone could be if someone was going to be in here. Unless, of course, there was something horribly wrong with the apartment like large chunks of wall missing, which did happen. In which case, if someone was here, they may not be certain where that something would be.
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex moved into the apartment, crouched beside Nate. He didn't see anything in the kitchen, or the living room. His gaze flicked to Nate when he felt the touch on his arm. He nodded, moving further down the hall. He paused every few steps, listening for anything. He didn't hear anything, which likely meant no infected. He looked inside the bathroom, empty and he looked back to Nate, shaking his head. He moved further down, and had stepped into the bedroom when he felt something slam into him. His eyes widened as he went for his knife, looking up to see a non-infected. She was speaking incoherently, almost like she wasn't registering full sentences. It was weird, and definitely not a sign of a newly infected person. Alex wrestled with her, trying to get a handle on it, but she managed to get her hands around his neck. Alex tried to use his legs to kick her off.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Nate followed after Alex, a little slower than him. He ducked his head into the bathroom after Alex, taking a moment to give it a thorough sweep. Even if there were no infected here, there may be something that he could use if someone was near. He heard the unmistakable sounds of a scuffle, pulling him out of his search. He popped up from his crouch, having no reason to be there anymore, and dashed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Quickly, he processed that there was a person on Alex, gripping Alex’s neck in a chokehold. He grabbed at her shoulders, pulling her up and holding her taught against him with one arm around her neck and the other over her head. Not infected. Who was this? What was wrong with her? Something seemed wrong.

“Who are you?” He asked, trying to sound calm. He knew that he probably should just finish her, but he could bring himself to it. Alex would understand or at least he hoped that he would. No secrets. This was right there with him. If he could figure out what was wrong with her, maybe he could help. He needed to help. He ached to help.
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex was incredibly thankful that Nate had grabbed her when he did. He was close to passing out from oxygen loss. He gasped as the woman was pulled off of him. He lifted his head up to see her pulled tight to Nate's body, one arm around her neck and the other over her head. Nate was trying to talk to her? Alex didn't see any reason, she hadn't been forming coherent sentences before so why would she now? It would be a mercy to finish her, she clearly had some kind of mental issue. "Nate, you can't help her. Something is wrong in her mind or something. She can't even speak coherently!" Alex said, finding his breath and getting to his feet. "You can't save everyone" He added, hand on his chest as he took a deep breath. All he was hearing was half sentences, a word here or there, nothing that suggests that she had her mental capacity. Unless Nate could hear something better, which Alex wasn't sure about. "If you can't do it, let me have her." He added.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; South Dakota

He didn’t want that to be the answer. He didn’t like that as the answer. It didn’t make sense. If she wasn’t infected, then there was always a chance. There was always a way. Right? There had to be a way. But as she thrashed against him, spouting words that weren’t words, he knew that Alex was right. There was no way to help this woman. He had so much medical knowledge. He read every book, manual, anything that they could find. He collected research, and he tirelessly sifted through all of it as he tried to be the best doctor he could be. Doctor. That was what he wished he could do. Being a masseur was a nice idea. He liked to toy with it as they walked and talked. In his heart, though, he was a doctor. He was a medic now, but he could be a doctor if given the chance and the right tools. He could help everyone with so many different things. In the right setting, maybe he could have even helped this woman.

He closed his eyes, stitching his jaw closed. He tightened his grip and cut off the air circulation. He moved to whisper in her ear. “Shh, it’s okay. You’re okay. You’re safe now. It’s like going to sleep.” He didn’t know if she could understand, but he kept saying it just in case as she began to lose consciousness. As she fell, he slipped down as well until he was on the floor with her. “It’s okay. We’ve got you.” As soon as her body went limp, he loosened his grip, pulled out his knife, and stuck it into her neck, quickly severing the right places. All the while, he still whispered until he pulled out the knife and dropped it as he cradled this woman they never knew.
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; South Dakota

Alex didn't want this anymore than Nate did, but sometimes mercy isn't saving them and making them better, but finishing them, sending them on. He watched with a heavy heart as Nate spoke to her softly, even as he knocked her out. He led her to the floor, all while talking to her. He watched as she went limp and Nate used the knife to finish her off. Alex stepped up behind him, hand on his shoulder. He hadn't meant to sound so cruel with his words, but it was the only thing he could think of to say. He hated having to see Nate kill someone, but he did it with dignity and respect. Alex would not have been so respectful, he didn't know how.​