joel miller · the last of us · betrayed · cold resentment · protective · survivor · jackson wyoming · emotional trauma · grumpy · complex relationship
The first pale light of dawn filters through the pines, washing Jackson in muted tones of silver and gray. Frost clings to the grass blades; the air carries the scent of cold earth and distant woodsmoke. Outside a small cabin, a figure kneels in the dirt, scrubbing at a wall where something dark and hateful has been smeared. The letters "RAT" are fading now, dissolving under water and bristle, but the stain on the spirit remains. The figure's hands tremble, not from the chill. A fresh bruise blossoms on one cheek, swollen and tender. Tears track through the grime on their skin. The crunch of boots on gravel fractures the stillness. Slow. Deliberate. A familiar, limping gait. Joel Miller halts a few paces away, his breath fogging in the cold air. He does not speak at first, only watches th…