Fandom The Day The World Changed { The Last of Us 1x1 with icedthemoon }

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Hayden waited a bit less patiently and more sleepily for the return of his partner. He really did not know where they exhaustion came from. When Josh came back, Hayden scooched himself right back into place completely attached. His brain was not awake enough for him to process how much he would normally be a little hesitant in showing so much affection. His parents were a little less affectionate than the average parent, and his mother was not prone to liking too much public affection of any kind. She was the kind of mother who, whether she was or not, looked like she was judging when she eyed Hayden’s hand in Josh’s. But right now, when he vaguely looked over at her talking with Claire in the kitchen, she didn’t seem to notice how much they were together at all. Maybe he was wrong to be so worried. He yawned again as he rested himself against Josh. “Some host I am,” he mumbled quietly as his eyes closed once more and his ears listened to the sounds of so much joy and laughter. An image from when he was younger came to mind. Everyone lived on the same street. They could all walk to each other’s houses, and they could be together all the time. It was their street. His parents in the house across and Josh’s in the house next to it. Kyra was in her own, and the boys had their own as well. It changed since he was little and saw all his cousins in adjacent houses. It was still great. He fell asleep thinking of that.

“Okay, I think it’s time we head back.” Emily was the first to begin the process of ending their gathering. “As much as you know I can talk their wedding with you all day, I think we need to head back. We need to make sure Oliver is taken care of, you know.” Michael laughed and nodded. “You know, we just got him and Rain to stop the pee war.” Emily smacked his arm. He shrugged. “It’s just true.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh smiled softly as Hayden scooched right back to where he was. An arm went around him as he used the other to eat. He watched the family around them, having dismissed himself from the game. He heard Hayden's mumble and chuckled softly, rubbing his side with the arm around him. "It's okay dear." His voice was quiet and soft. Jacob and Logan looked at each other as they heard Kyra's parents. "Yeah, we should get moving, we've got to get up early tomorrow." Logan said, the two both had early morning jobs at the hospital. In typical twin fashion, they both shared a love of all things medical, but Jacob became an ER nurse where Logan worked in the neonatal unit. The two boys waved good bye to everyone and headed out, after Claire gave them both hugs.

"Yeah, we should head out too. We'll have to get together this week to continue talking about their wedding." Claire told Emily and Lucas chuckled, hearing Michael's comment. Claire and Lucas walked over to Josh and congratulated them again, and Claire kissed Josh's forehead because a hug would've been a little awkward. "Congratulations you two." She said before they too left Josh and Hayden's apartment.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Hayden waved to everyone as they left, said the pleasantries as he was taught, and eventually sighed as they were finally once again left on their own. Kyra was the last to leave, because she was just that kind of person, but she did. She had a plant to get back to of course. Or several. She was one of those plant parents. Surprisingly enough, she was a teacher, though what she taught, Hayden couldn’t remember in that moment. It was something in the high school. It had nothing to do with plants though. When she and everyone else was gone, Hayden slowly pulled himself up just to fall back down into the cuddle. “Well, I think that went very well,” he muttered as he tried to reawaken his tired voice. It was not too late in the day, so he should probably stop sleeping or he would have one hell of a night ahead of him. “What shall we do with the rest of our day?”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh smiled as he watched Hayden pull himself up, only to fall back to the cuddle. "I think it went pretty great, even if you slept through it." Josh teased, though the smile on his face grew. He heard Hayden and thought for a moment. "Well, we could watch something on the television, or I could prove I'm not too old like I was going to last night if I hadn't been tired?" He with a laugh and a grin. "But really, I'm kind of comfortable." He admitted, not wanting to move from the cozy cuddle they were in right now.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Hayden laughed where he was and tried to sit up. “You are too old. How old are you, like a hundred and five? Ancient.” He placed a hand on Josh’s chest and used it to lightly push himself up so that he was actually sitting and not mostly falling on Josh. “You’re lucky I like older men though otherwise this could be awkward for both of us.” He blinked a few times trying to rid himself of the sleep of the comfortable.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh put the most offended look he could on. Mouth open, eyes narrowed and he removed his arm to cross it over his chest. “Oh? Is that so? If I’m a hundred and five then I aged very well and you should be lucky I’m into younger men.” Josh said, playing into it. “But if I’m so old, then I guess I can’t do this.” Josh commented, standing up and turned to face Hayden, picking him up in his arms. “Should I prove further how not old I am? We have some time before we should have dinner and get ready for bed.”​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

“Easily a hundred and fi-“ Hayden’s words were cut off by his own squeal as suddenly he was lifted into the air. “Excuse you, old guy, you can’t do this! You are far too frail!” He laughed and playfully swatted at the arms of his captor. “You’ll crash under all this weight and then I’ll have to call the ambulance to come pick up your broken little body.” Between laughs he continued, “I just don’t see how you could possibly prove that you are not at all ancient and decrepit.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

He chuckled at the squeal from Hayden and then raised an eyebrow at his words. "Frail?" He asked, feeling Hayden swat at his arms playfully. "I absolutely will not crash under this weight. And I will prove I'm not ancient and decrepit." Joshua said, moving them towards the bedroom. He swayed every so often. "Oh I don't know if I'll make it." He teased as he finally made it by the bed and 'collapsed' and gently tossing Hayden on the bed while he hit the floor. "Oh dear, I think you may have to call that ambulance." Josh teased as he laid 'crumpled' on the floor.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Hayden was a mess of laughter as Josh swayed his way to the bedroom and tossed him on the bed. He rolled up to watch Josh fall on the floor, and crawled his way to the edge of the bed to stare at his ancient body. “See? I told you that you were old and frail! Now I have to call your brothers to come fix you, and they’re going to have to ask why, and I am going to have to tell them that you’re a little old man.” His arms dangled off the edge of the mattress. “Imagine the judgement when they have to come pick you up because you’ve fallen and can’t get up.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh looked up at Hayden, seeing him looking over the edge of the bed. His eyes widened at the comment and he saw his arms dangling off the mattress. He shook his head and laughed loudly as he grabbed at Hayden’s arms. “I think the only one who can pick up this frail old man would be his partner.” Josh said with a smile, pulling himself closer to the bed and looking up at Hayden. He leaned up and kissed him deeply before pulling away. “But if the love of my life wants me to be embarrassed by my brothers, then why should I stop it.” Josh replied, letting go of Hayden’s arms and dropping to the floor again.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Now that was just not fair. Kiss him like that and then leave him? Josh did these things on purpose, and Hayden was going to let him get away with it. He knew it. “And what if the love of your life is afraid that he will break your soul very frail and old bones?” Hayden asked from his position on the bed. “Besides, I thought you were supposed to be proving to me that you weren’t an ancient old timer. If I slip down here with you,” he moved to the floor, “and have to shove my arms underneath you,” where he put his arms as he moved beside him, “I think that means I was right and you were wrong.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh looked up at Hayden, hearing him and laughing, before he raised an eyebrow and watched Hayden move to the floor, arms shoved under him and he chuckled. "It just means that you love me too much to leave me alone in my old and frail state." Josh told him, wrapping his arms around Hayden and smiling. "But, now I think I've gotten a second wind." He teased, moving away from Hayden and getting to his feet, before he crawled onto the bed. He moved so he could look over the edge this time and winked. "You coming up here now old man?" He asked, teasingly turning it around on Hayden.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

This was one of those super cute moments that Hayden thought was going to go one way but very quickly whipped around and came back to bite him. His jaw fell open as he watched Josh absolutely abandoned him and take up residence in the spot that Hayden was just in. “Wow. I can’t believe I was abandoned by my apparently younger and spry love. Is that any way to treat your elder?” He huffed and very slowly crawled his way around, working at making it look difficult to drag himself up to the bed. Once he made it onto his knees, he let out a strained breath and let his head collapse on his hands. “I don’t know if I can make it, young man.” He rested his playfully shaking hands on Josh’s as he continued to very slowly push himself up and try to drag his body up onto the bed. “I may not be able to do this without help-“ but then he rammed his entire body against Josh and pushed him back on the bed with a laugh.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh looked at Hayden as he saw his jaw open and chuckled. "Yes, abandoned and all alone." Josh replied, smirking as he watched Hayden slowly crawl around. He arched an eyebrow at the way he shook his hands playfully and rested them on his own. "How will you ever make it with me?" He teased, before his eyes widened at feeling Hayden's body ram into his. He was pushed back onto the bed, falling on his back and looking at Hayden. "Oh is that how this is going to go?" Josh asked, smirking. He wrapped his arms around Hayden and shifted so he could hopefully pin him to the bed.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Hayden tried to keep a straight face, but the second that he broke his old man act, it was over. He was laughing and grinning as Josh fell. “It might be,” he replied, though he knew this would never be how it ended. There was just too much silly in the both of them. This was how it had been even when they were only friends in high school. Fast friends. Faster best friends. They had always been like this together. Well, okay, maybe they hadn’t been quite like this, because now Hayden was pinned to the bed, and that wasn’t exactly what normal friends did. Except for when it was. Friends. Best friends. Partners. Husbands to be. God, he got so lucky. “Well, it seems like this is how it’s going to go. So, not an old timer after all? Huh. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe. What are you going to do about it?”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh grinned as he looked down at Hayden. His first friend, his best friend, his boyfriend, partner, fiancé. How he managed to get as lucky as he was, he had no idea. "I have a few ideas on what to do about it." Josh promised, leaning down and kissing him, then kissing his chin, jaw, neck, shoulders before lifting his head up and grinning. "I don't know how I got so lucky, but I did. I love you Hayden. Now.. I have to prove I'm not an old man."​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Oh. Oh, okay. That was in fact how this was going to go, and Hayden was not about to tell him no. Not when they were sweethearts in high school. Not when they were newly moved out into their own apartment. Not now when they were fresh off of the most beautiful and moving proposal and engagement party that Hayden did admittedly sleep through, but who could blame him when he was just so comfy and happy? So happy. With each kiss, all he could think was that he was so, so happy with his life. He was really starting to become comfortable with everything that he had and everything that he was going to have soon with the schooling that was going to start next semester. What a great life that he had. He had to make sure he didn’t sleep through that. Enjoy the walk and the flowers and everything, right? Oh, no, he was certainly not sleeping through the next beautiful moments with his love. Perfect moments that proved so much more than just that Josh was not at all some old man. That was a far better way to spend the rest of their day than watching some movie that they could watch later. This was Hayden and Josh encompassed in the best world he could ever imagine. As he lay against Josh’s chest much later, the sleepiness tugging at his eyelids once more, he couldn’t imagine how anything could ever get worse than this. “Alright, I concede,” he murmured against him. “You’re a sprightly young man who would never want to go to bed early.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh knew Hayden wouldn't say no, he loved this, and so did Josh. The connection between them was deep, and he was so happy with this moment. Josh had never met anyone like Hayden, and he was going to fight to keep it. A little while later, he had an arm wrapped around Hayden as he laid against his chest. He yawned, not really wanting to move from the bed. "I knew it. I am absolutely a young man." He replied, rubbing Hayden's side. "Is it bad that I just want to sleep now?"​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

The irony of his question made Hayden laugh so hard that he all but convulsed against Josh. That, in turn, made him laugh harder until he was absolutely stuck in a fit of hilarity for a good while. Finally, between the coughs as he tried to regain his composure, he shook his head and said, “It could mean that I was right all along and you are an old man at heart, or,” he settled back into his comfortable position and sighed, “it could also mean that it’s reasonable, because I also just want to sleep. Continue on with our happily ever after.” He tipped his head up and kissed the edge of Josh’s jaw. “Tomorrow, because boy am I tired now.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh looked at Hayden and laughed himself, though not nearly as hard as Hayden was. He couldn't help but shake his head as he listened to Hayden finally stop laughing. He raised an eyebrow although he did smile. "I means, that I may not have the energy of a 20 year old, but I am also very tired from proving that I am not a hundred and five either." Josh said as he looked at Hayden. "I agree with the sleeping, continue our happy ever after tomorrow." He agreed, feeling the kiss to the edge of his jaw. "Let's get some sleep baby. Good night my love." He said, kissing the top of Hayden's head before he rested back against the pillow, his eyes closing as he fell asleep happy.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

He may have just been rude about Josh’s lack of energy, and he was chuckling at his partner’s admission of their age, but he was already mostly drifting away by the time Josh was telling him goodnight. He meant to respond, and he thought that he did, but his mouth never moved. He was so happily content to fall asleep. He slept so well through the night. He did not hear when his phone in the other room got a text. And another. And a whole string from various people. He didn’t even hear the phone call, because he put his phone on vibrate during their little get together. He slept instead. Happily. Peacefully. For the last time in a long time.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh's phone had been put on silent during the get together and he never turned it back on. He'd come to regret that because he got a hundred texts from his parents, friends, coworkers and brothers. Josh woke up early that morning to a loud banging. Bang! Bang! He shot up from bed and slipped off it, grabbing his old baseball bat. He had kept it after the one year he'd played baseball in middle school. He crept through the apartment as the door busted open. Their neighbor, Chase, barreled in and went right for Josh. He had blood on his face and chest and Josh froze at first before he swung the bat at his head, somehow thinking that would be the easiest way to stop him. That didn't stop him, so he did it again and Chase crumpled to the floor. Josh was panicking, breathing hard as he backed up to the bedroom. "Hayden?! Are you okay?!" He called as he watched the busted front door. He had been so focused on the banging front door and protecting Hayden.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

The banging roughly registered in his brain as the incessant sound kept going. His mind tried to reconcile it as part of his dream. Something large was tossing boulders off of a mountain. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense, but dreams rarely did. He was trying to find a way past when another loud noise, maybe like a burst or a crack or something ripped through his mind. His brain couldn’t stay awake. He opened his eyes, breathing heavily as the sounds of something like an animal tore through the air like it was so close. He shot up in the bed and scrambled in the bed, unsure what to do now that he was really registering that something real was happening around him. Josh was not in the bed, there was something horrible happening elsewhere, and he didn’t understand any of it. “Josh!” He called as he leapt off the bed and tripped as he moved to the doorway. His eyes widened as he watched the end of a battle he didn’t understand. “Josh? Is that?” His hand covered his mouth as he stared at the corpse of their neighbor. Corpse, because he was dead. Dead because “What-?” But he couldn’t finished. The reality that he watched Josh kill Chase was hitting him hard, and he couldn’t make sense of any of it. Not Josh or Chase or the animal screams or the banging. That banging? Was that real too? He fell onto his butt with a hard thud that jerked tears from him. His eyes moved to Chase again, and his stomach rolled. He was going to ask again when he heard screams from somewhere else close by. Screams of a woman who sounded like something horrible was happening. Screams- and then there were no more screams. What was happening?
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh looked behind him as he heard Hayden and saw his eyes widen and then noticed he was looking at Chase. No. nonono. Josh knelt beside Hayden and pulled him to his chest. "Don't look. I don't know what's happening, but please don't look." Josh pleaded. He heard the screams and then they were gone. Josh heard scrambling and then shuffling as another neighbor, Ken, walked inside their apartment. Oh no. "Close your eyes love." Josh said, standing up with the baseball bat in hand. Ken screeched as he saw Josh and two swings later, his body joined Chase on the floor. He turned and went back to the bedroom. "Hayden, baby. We have to go, somewhere, where's your phone?" Josh asked, before he looked for his own phone. Once he found it, he saw several messages ranging from; 'Call me!' 'Something's going down at the hospital, stay home!' 'Joshua Smith you call me back' and Josh swallowed hard. He checked his social and saw several posts before one suggesting that everyone shelter in place and board things up until further notice.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Don’t look. Don’t look? Don’t look at- But he did. He did look, because it wasn’t real. That was not- Oh but it was. It was definitely real, and the more he looked, the more the tears fell down his cheek. His hands shook as he covered his face, fingers slipping from where he was already so slick with wetness. What was happening? Another neighbor came in, moving slowly and strangely. Close your eyes. He watched Josh stand, and Hayden knew that this would be a repeat of Chase all over again. Josh was going to use that bat against Ken who didn’t even look like he was going to do anything wrong. What if Ken needed help? But even with those thoughts, Hayden thrust trembling palms over his eyes and jumped at the screech and the loud thumps of what he knew was the bat. Screeches like animals. Animals. He gasped, startled, as Josh spoke to him again. His phone? He didn’t know where it was. “I- I- I don’t-“ His words were broken as he tried to summon his wits. “Couch?” Should he get up to look for his phone? Could he stand? Could he- Chase and Ken in a body pile on the floor. He convulsed and heaved letting out the very little contents of his stomach onto the floor beside him.
​