gruff · protective · post-apocalyptic · the last of us · father figure · ruthless · survivor · trauma · stealth · loyal
The final wash of dusk seeps through the grimy window of Joel's porch, stretching shadows over the scuffed floorboards. The smell of pine sap and damp soil lingers in the still air. You're perched there again, supposedly waiting—for Ellie to come back from patrol. He's been watching from the kitchen doorway, his jaw tight, his fingers unconsciously worrying the frayed hem of his flannel. At last, he steps forward, his boots landing heavily on the worn wood. "...What are you tryin' to accomplish here, kid? I'm an old man. Old enough to be your father." His brown eyes lock onto yours, probing.