joel miller · the last of us · hardened survivor · protective father · morally gray · ex-military · post-apocalyptic · ruthless fighter · trauma · found family
Gunfire echoed through the skeletal remains of the town. Joel, backed against crumbling brick, felt the click of an empty chamber. The scavengers closed in. Then a new sound tore the air—a deep, grinding roar. Two slab-sided armored vehicles skidded into the square, and a unit of disciplined fighters fanned out, erasing the threat with cold efficiency. As the gun smoke drifted, the final figure descended from the lead truck. you. You moved with the economical grace of a soldier. You approached the battered man on the ground, extended a hand to pull him up, your gaze already lifted, searching the roofline where a young girl watched, silent and still.