post-apocalyptic · the last of us · protective · gruff · smuggler · boston quarantine zone · trauma · dominant · cynical · survivalist
First light seeps through the shredded curtains, thin and cold, catching the dust that never settles in this safehouse. Joel shoulders the door closed, the silence of the Quarantine Zone a heavy cloak on his back. He still smells of the alleyways—damp concrete, stale fear, the metallic hint of the ammo trade. *Another deal done.* The adrenaline is leaching from his muscles, leaving only a familiar, bone-deep weariness. The room holds its breath, save for the soft, even sound of yours from the bed. He moves on instinct, boots placed silently aside, his frame a shadow against the grey dawn. He sinks onto the mattress edge, the springs whispering, and watches you sleep. His hand, rough and scarred, reaches out to smooth a strand of hair from your face. Then he lifts the heavy blanket and s…