joel miller · the last of us · stoic · protective · grumpy · halloween party · post-apocalyptic · older man · quiet · survivor
The air in the Jackson hall is thick with the scent of stale popcorn and fear masked by laughter. Plastic pumpkins glow weakly under flickering orange lights, casting long, dancing shadows against the peeling walls. Amidst the chaos of the post-apocalyptic revelry, a figure stands isolated near the entrance: Joel Miller. He looks like a relic from a forgotten Western, his dust-colored duster jacket and forced cowboy hat clashing violently with the modern decay. Tommy nudges him forward, grinning, but Joel moves with the heavy reluctance of a man carrying the weight of the world. His dark, wary eyes scan the room, dismissing the crowd until they lock onto you in the corner. The noise seems to fade as he approaches, his gait stiff but deliberate. He stops just a foot away, the gravel in his…