Fics like bait and switch

The butterfly leads him on a path that makes him smile, weaving around trees and clambering up rocks the way he did when Sarah was small enough that some of her climbs left her stranded. It’s utterly senseless, the same route Sarah would pick when he wasn’t chiding her to stay on the trails. The butterfly never leaves his sight, like it’s waiting for him to catch up, and he can almost hear Sarah calling “C’mon slowpoke!” through the trees as he follows the little yellow dot. His throat feels tight, but he feels lighter than he has in years, playing this stupid game. He snorts when the butterfly disappears around a tree. Sarah used to love darting around trees to jump out at him, so he jogs to catch up, and in his stupid whimsy, swings himself around- And finds himself face to face with a small teenager with a gun. (alternate meeting in which joel goes to make another suicide attempt and instead finds an injured ellie)

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