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

[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex gave Nate a look and shaking his head. "Haha. You're funny. No, I don't think I'd be like this with anyone. If that was true, I'd be traveling with the first person I actually met. You were the first person I've traveled with." Alex said, his grin wide as he laughed. He didn't feel any kind of connection or anything to the other people he'd met during his travels from Washington. Alex really didn't know why he'd taken to Nate, but it was like an instant connection, something deeper than he'd known before. He didn't want to make this weird by saying that Nate was special, at least to Alex.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

Nate narrowed his brows, but the smile could not stay away from his eyes and lips. Still, he tried to feign offense. “Sure, sure, I definitely believe you. Really, I am the first person to have been lost enough to need help with directions. If someone else asked you to help them, would you?” The question was not meant to be as deep as it sounded once it rolled off his tongue. He was trying to be funny still, but then the words left his mind and rang out into the open, and he had a hard time catching his breath as he realized the implications that it could have. What answer did he want him to say? That was a sudden terrifying thought he was not prepared to fight, and he wished that he could rein in all back in and pretend like he never asked.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

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

He caught the narrowed brows, though the smile was still there. "Yes. You were the first person that actually needed directions. No, I probably wouldn't. Something in me was convinced to help you" Alex admitted. "I think that someone wanted us to travel together" He added, looking at Nate. He didn't know how Nate would take that, but it was the truth. He had felt tied to Nate and it was the best feeling he'd ever had and he didn't want it to go away.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

He felt a swell in the pit of his stomach where everything also seemed to twist together. Was that relief? Was it disappointment? Because naturally, Nate would want for Alex to help someone who needed their help. And having seen how Alex was that first day, Nate could believe that even if Alex was this hardened warrior who was not easily trusting, he would probably help someone by reading their map and telling them the direction that they would go. Naturally, he would be glad to know that someone else would get the aid that they needed to survive and succeed. But how did he feel about Alex saying no? No, he would not help someone else. No, he would not become their guide. No, it was just Nate. Was it relief? That would be a terrible thing to feel in the situation.

“You’re right,” he added. “That would be me. I wanted us to travel together so that I didn’t get so lost anymore.” He knew that was not what Alex was talking about, and he was not sure how he felt about his actual meaning either. He was not sure how he felt about anything. Was he saying that this was some sort of predestined thing? Fate called them together? The universe? The world? earlier, Nate told him that he felt like they were meant to be together, and he wholeheartedly agreed with that still. Did he agree that something pulled them together on purpose?
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex laughed, looking at Nate. “Yes, us traveling together was clearly all thanks to you.” He said with a grin. He didn’t believe in much but somehow this was something that was supposed to be. It was definitely a weird twist of fate. “I think that no matter how it happened, I’m thankful it did.” Alex said, a little softer in tone.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

Nate attempted a bow, which was difficult since he was practically sitting on top of Alex, and instead mostly bumped into him. “Oh, oops, sorry.” He laughed at the troublesome nature of being so close but continued to not actually move away. “Anyway, you are very welcome, kind sir. I am here to serve. Also, I am proud of myself for not ending up in like Connecticut or something. I would not put it past my very good map skills.”
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[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex laughed at the attempt that Nate made at a bow, even if he ended up bumping into Alex basically. “It’s okay” Alex said with a smile. He didn’t care, not at all. He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “I think something else made sure you came this way instead of east to Connecticut. Because with your map skills, I wouldn’t be surprised if you had ended up in Maine or Canada” Alex said with a laugh.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

“You would think my mama would have taught me better, wouldn’t you?” She was the best navigator in the whole of the world in Nate’s mind. Granted, Alex was leading him to what he could only hope was a contingent of Fireflies, but she would have been better. No offense to him. She was brilliant. She did not even need a map half of the time. It was like she could walk somewhere once or look at a map for just a little bit and then it was committed to memory. She could look at one falling sign on one of those big roads and know exactly where they were. And she sure did try to teach him. It just didn’t go well apparently. “Guess whoever it is looked at that and went ‘My, oh, my, I cannot let that poor little man wander off into the ether like chicken with his head cut off. I’m gonna have to send someone that way to save his hide.’” He clapped both hands on Alex’s chest. “And that’s you! There you go. I have explained the mystery."
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex tilted his head, listening to him talk about his mom. Alex wasn’t a huge believer in any one religion, especially considering where he came from, but he wondered if perhaps Nate’s mom had been involved. Had she guided Nate towards Alex? Towards someone who can help her son get to where he wanted to go? He didn’t know, but it was something he’d been thinking about. “I’m glad you explained the mystery. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t” He laughed, feeling both of Nate’s hands on his chest.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

“My mama would have liked you a lot,” Nate said thoughtfully, his eyes looking at Alex but not really seeing him in that moment. “She woulda told you, ‘my boy needs someone to get him through the woods,’ and she wouldn’t have meant the literal ones. She would have just meant life.” He laughed, unaware that his voice was slipping into a much heavier southern drawl than his already moderately southern accent usually was. Parroting his mama did that to him sometimes. “She was always telling me that we have a greater purpose. ‘Nathaniel Evan Matthews, everyone has a purpose. Everyone’s got somewhere they need to be.’ And she was always asking, ‘What’s yours?’ And once I told her, ‘Mama, I’m only seven, I don’t rightly know yet.’” A bright grin erupted across his face. “And you know what she said? She goes, ‘Well it sure as hell isn’t reading this map, because I’m pretty sure you done got us lost.’ And she took the map from my hand, looked at it for about two seconds before saying, ‘My poor child, how on God’s green earth did you think this was the way to Kentucky? We are heading straight into Arkansas. I knew I shouldn’t have let you lead yet.’” He pulled a hand away to shove poorly in front of his face before continuing. “And I told her, ‘Mama, I am only seven! I haven’t learned yet!” He laughed for a moment before adding, “Apparently I wasn’t ever going to learn.” He laughed again, shaking his head. “She would have told you something similar to my mystery solving answer, and she might have meant it just a little.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex couldn’t help but listen. He laid close attention, finding the heavier southern accent endearing. Alex was certain he’d like Nate’s mom. Listening to his description of her, he found himself laughing at some parts of his story. Like him leading them to Arkansas instead of Kentucky. “I think, your mom was that someone. Listening to you, I think she made sure that we found each other” Alex said, meaning every word he said. He had waited for Nate to finish before he talked. ​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

Nate just about blushed again, which was making this an entirely new kind of situation. Was he embarrassed? Yes? No? He really was not all that sure. He loved sharing stories about his mama. She was his favorite person in the whole of the world after all. He loved her more than he could ever love Ben and Max, and they knew it was true. They understood there was nothing that could come between him and his mother. Well, except maybe a slaughter. That did a pretty good job splitting them apart. “My mama has been gone a long time,” he finally answered. “I don’t know how she could possibly have led me here unless she was specifically working on making me bad at maps so that I could get lost all by myself and find you.” He was a bit skeptical, but he also thought that if anyone could transcend the laws of the universe, it was probably her. “But you could be right. That woman could very well have decided that she does what she wants even in whatever the afterlife turns out to be.”
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[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex listened to Nate. “From what you said, she’s pretty determined. Maybe she made her way back to you when she saw you were lost?” He said with a smile. “I’ve heard of weirder things happening. Then again, maybe she realized after that you needed a new navigator” He said. “And you got stuck with me.” He laughed.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

“I don’t know if I would call this stuck,” Nate replied, lifting his eyebrows before looking down at their current sitting arrangement. He then shrugged. “Alright, maybe a little stuck but only because I can’t move that quickly. Other than that,” he pointed at him, finger jabbing into Alex’s sternum, “I could leave if I wanted to. And I choose not to, so that means not stuck. Means I’m… willing.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

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

He raised an eyebrow at Nate. “Uh huh. No stuck. Good to know.” He said with a chuckle. He laughed when Nate admitted they were a little stuck, and when Nate jabbed his finger into Alex’s sternum. He paused, listening to Nate. Willing? “You’re right, you can walk away and get lost. Which means you’re willing to follow me in the right direction.” He grinned.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

Nate raised a finger and lifted his chin. “If for no other reason than to appease my ghost of a mother who I am sure has been haunting me this whole time. She was probably yelling at me ever since I lost Ben and Max something like, ‘That is not the way, Nathaniel Matthews. You should know better. You’re lucky I am incorporeal and can’t knock you upside the head.’” He nodded like this was exactly how it would go. “And I would deserve it since I clearly was on the wrong path. Don’t know how though. I was just following a road.”
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[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex couldn’t help the laugh when he heard Nate talking about what his mother would do if she’d been there. He could imagine seeing that happening, and he smiled. “In the end, you were on the right road though Nate. You ended up bumping right into me.” Alex said with a grin. “Now you won’t be lost again.” He added with a confident smile.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

He had no business being that cute. Absolutely no business at all. Alex was just sitting there saying things like ‘You won’t be lost again,’ and that should not make his entire stomach feel like he needed to throw up. But in a good way? In a really good way actually, as bizarre as that sounded. He knew he wasn’t sick. He was too good at what he did to know that. He knew this was an Alex thing. Alex making him feel all sorts of things just by sitting there and saying words that made sense. Of course he would never be lost again, he had his very own personal guide who promised to not let him go and also to join his people as soon as he found them. This man was going to make him forget how to exist like a reasonable human, and Nate was not sure he wanted him not to. He was in too deep already. There was no dragging himself out of this particular mud hole. He was just going to have to live in the squalor.

“Yeah,” he breathed, giving up with this inner turmoil. “Yeah I really did.” He leaned against him, smiling like an actual idiot. “Which means if we ever get lost, I am fully blaming it on you.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex looked at Nate for a moment. He studied him, and that same flip flop feeling in his heart started. It was all caused by Nate. He was making these feelings in Alex. Not that Alex minded, not at all. But it was nice to realize it. He didn’t know what the feelings were, but he liked them. He raised an eyebrow listening to Alex for a moment. “Yeah you did. Wait, my fault? If anything it’ll be your fault because you’ll get me confused.” He said with a grin.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

Nate made one of those frowny smile faces and raised both of his brows in what was most certainly a highly judgmental expression. Well, it would have been if he actually judged people like that, but since he didn’t he could only hope that he could get away with at least looking like he was sincerely judging. “Excuse me, how exactly do you think that I am going to confuse you? What do you expect me to do? Try to tell you which way we are supposed to go? I learned at the ripe ol’ age of seven that this was not how I help while traveling. In fact, I feel like if anything, I would help you by doing exactly as you say.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex shook his head, seeing the ‘judgemental’ look on Nate’s face. He could tell it was fake. “Says the one who literally tried to turn us around earlier in our travel.” He said, laughing. “Apparently you didn’t quite learn it all at seven man.” He added.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

Fair. This was a fair rebuttal to his argument. He needed to think of a way to come out of this one top. Come on, Nate. Think, man, think. “Okay, yes, but who said you should follow me? If I recall correctly, we have determined that my direction sense is possibly in the negatives where I somehow can take us into the exact opposite direction. That should mean that you know better than to follow my lead. Plus, you said that it would confuse you, and I don’t remember you being confused at all. If I were to right now say that this is the correct direction to go,” he pointed in a completely random directions, “would that confuse you?”
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[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex shook his head listening to Nate. “It’s not so much that I could’ve chosen not to follow as you had me by the arm. Makes it a little more difficult to go the right way” Alex laughed. He tried to follow the conversation. “Nate man. I don’t trust your directions and at this point, your arguments.” He said with a grin. “Yes, you pointing in random directions is very much confusing to me.” He added.​

 

[icedthemoon]

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

Nate sighed heavily, melting backwards to eventually lay on the ground, legs splayed around Alex and arms every which way. “Fine, you win. Be confused. But I am still blaming you, because you are the guide, and therefore all wrong things will inevitably end up your fault.” He used this time to stretch out his arms that were less than happy with his sudden change in movements.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

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

Alex watched as Nate laid back on the ground laughing at him. “Fine, I’ll take the blame. But you still get lost so who really loses here? I mean, if it’s my fault then you’re going to be at fault too because you let me lead us” Alex pointed out.

(( we have two Alex’s now lol ))​