The Last Of Us: Part I - Darker Days (Male Reader)

Chapter 1 - Pittsburgh

The city of Pittsburgh turned out to be more favourable than he had thought it to be. Even twenty years after the end of the world, supplies were still abundant, either that or people were shit at finding things. Though it still surprised Y/N every time he would find a can of food still edible after all this time.

'Thank god for canneries... I think that's what they called them.'

Being born four years after the world went to shit was... something. Imagine not having a clue what anything was before. Sometime back in the quarantine zone he had questioned what a phone was, it baffled him that they could be used for long distance communications, or texts, whatever they meant by that.

It was hard enough for adults, trying to survive in this world, but kids? Even harder. Being on your own doesn't help either, though Y/N preferred it than having to rely on strangers.

You couldn't fully trust them, but you know what you could? Instincts and your gut. That's what Y/N trusted most if not all the time. If he saw something he didn't like, he knew not to go through with it. See some people on the road, had a bad feeling and he would go around them, avoid them at all costs.

Eventually after being alone for a little over three years, he grew into the mentality of staying on his own. Not having to depend on anyone or them in return. A very small part of him wished he had someone to talk to at least though, there was only so much he could do to keep himself sane, either talking to himself or talking to... other things.

His drawings helped. Yes, he drew. No harm in it. It was a habit, a hobby he picked up when he was back in the quarantine zone with his parents. Of course it wasn't mandatory, especially not in military school but nobody cared.

And he was quite good at it too, it made him feel... normal? Yes, normal in a not so normal world. He drew people, buildings too, objects to landscapes. He actually managed to draw the statue of liberty once, even though the statue itself was a ruin yet still standing after all this time.

Much like himself.

Y/N took a deep breath and closed his eyes tight. He was currently in an old convenience store. The building was in okay standard, boarded up windows and doors barricaded. He had slept, or tried to, he didn't sleep much these days, inside the night before and was now laid against the back wall, his drawing pad in hand and a pencil in the other. He had quite the collection of pencils, since they were in high demand... for him anyway.

One particular picture he was trying to draw, was Pittsburgh itself. He got a good view of it the day before, the sun rising and all. It was magnificent to him. He had never seen anything like it.

Y/N opened his eyes again and looked down at his drawing pad, it's pages faded with time but still usable. He was only about half way done with it, skyscrapers and other buildings were done and the environment, no matter how overgrown it was, was complete. But it just needed some shading left to add. He spent the morning doing so, but stopped after awhile, the straining in his hand becoming unbearable.

The sixteen year old sighed and turned to his right; grabbed his beige coloured rucksack, and placed all of his items inside, zipping it up when he was done. He took another deep breath again and lifted his head up, looking over the interior. It was barren except the fortifications, shelves were toppled over and shopping carts stood aimlessly.

The place was now empty, before when he had arrived he had found an energy bar and even some extra ammo for his gun.

A semi-automatic pistol. Still in pristine condition but warranted some cleaning, he didn't want it jamming on him later.

He unholstered the gun at his right thigh holster and pulled the chamber back to reveal a bullet, he let it slide forward and click sound followed, he placed it back where it belonged before getting up.