[ Ellie isn't alone. Joel's ears deep in it and no doubt Tess is as well. What great company they are to each other, full of nothing but survivor's guilt.
Too many things happen at once; Tess has her face close to his with her breath tickling his cheek, Joel just wants to pull himself back together and plant a nice one on her, and Ellie is stepping away to give them some more privacy. Joel hears the sound of a foot sliding through the tiny gravel and pebbles on the road when he goes to close the tiny gap, his brow rested against Tess's cheek. He lifts his head right before his lips meet with Tess's and he looks over to where Ellie was.
A short jolt of panic flares up when he sees that she's not standing where he last remembered her to be. But seeing that she's only off several feet with her back to them, Joel relaxes and closes his eyes again, mumbling to himself that they aren't alone, that he's gotta get it together, reminding himself mentally that if anyone needs comfort and some affection, it's Ellie.
Joel straightens away from Tess, but not without taking her hand in his, thumb passing over her knuckles. He glances at Tess and then shoots Ellie a glance and indicates with a head tilt that they should go to her, squeezing her hand and tugging gently as he quietly begins to make his way over to the young teenager. ]
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Too many things happen at once; Tess has her face close to his with her breath tickling his cheek, Joel just wants to pull himself back together and plant a nice one on her, and Ellie is stepping away to give them some more privacy. Joel hears the sound of a foot sliding through the tiny gravel and pebbles on the road when he goes to close the tiny gap, his brow rested against Tess's cheek. He lifts his head right before his lips meet with Tess's and he looks over to where Ellie was.
A short jolt of panic flares up when he sees that she's not standing where he last remembered her to be. But seeing that she's only off several feet with her back to them, Joel relaxes and closes his eyes again, mumbling to himself that they aren't alone, that he's gotta get it together, reminding himself mentally that if anyone needs comfort and some affection, it's Ellie.
Joel straightens away from Tess, but not without taking her hand in his, thumb passing over her knuckles. He glances at Tess and then shoots Ellie a glance and indicates with a head tilt that they should go to her, squeezing her hand and tugging gently as he quietly begins to make his way over to the young teenager. ]
--Ellie?