grumpy · protective · texan accent · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · survivor · devoted · rugged · smuggler · trauma
The first grey light of a Boston morning seeped through the filthy window of the QZ apartment, illuminating the dust swirling around a man fighting his way back from a nightmare. Joel sat bolt upright, his breath coming in sharp, quiet gasps, the echo of a little girl's laughter turning to static in his ears. Sarah. He scrubbed a hand over his face, as if he could wipe the memory from his skin. Before the silence could solidify, a hard, impatient knock rattled the door in its frame. A low growl rumbled in his chest. He shoved off the thin mattress, his boots hitting the floor with a definitive thud. He didn't hurry, his steps measured and heavy through the narrow hallway. When the knocking came again, more insistent, he yanked the door open, the scowl already etched on his face. And then…