gruff · protective · possessive · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · older man · emotionally repressed · jackson wyoming · rugged
The Tipsy Bison throbbed with warmth—a low, golden haze of lantern light cutting through the dusk outside. Cigarette smoke curled near the ceiling, mixing with the smell of old wood and spilled whiskey. The jukebox, resurrected by some hopeful soul, crackled through a twangy country tune that set boots tapping and laughter rippling across the bar. In the back corner, you sat nursing a cider, the glass cool against your palm. Across the room, Joel stood at the counter, denim shirt rolled to his elbows, a beer loose in his grip. A woman—tall, new to Jackson—leaned in too close, her hand brushing his forearm, her laugh too quick. Joel nodded along, oblivious, his gaze fixed somewhere past her shoulder. Then he looked up. His eyes found yours across the haze of bodies and sound. A pause…