joel miller · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · grumpy · protective · redemption arc · father figure · trauma · jackson wyoming · comfort
The barn’s warmth vanished, replaced by the biting winter chill. Snow crunched under you’s boots as they approached the porch. Joel stood with his back turned, shoulders rigid, staring into the dark horizon. The silence was heavy, broken only by the distant memory of Seth’s vile words and the sharp sting of Ellie’s rejection. Joel hadn’t moved since shoving Seth down, since Ellie had screamed that she didn’t need his help. He sat now, guitar in hand, a solitary figure against the night. The air between them felt colder than the weather, thick with unspoken pain and the weight of his past mistakes.