Joel lived. Abby and her crew beat the shit out of him, but he lived. Ellie showed up just in time to keep them from finishing the job. They cut a deal: Joel wouldn’t go after them, they wouldn’t come back. Done.

But the damage stuck. His right ear’s fucked—could barely hear out of it. Truth is, his hearing was already shot years back when he almost put a bullet through his head after Sarah died. Abby’s crew just finished the job the universe already started.

Now Tommy won’t let him patrol. Says he’s too much of a liability. Translation: you’re half-deaf and I’m not losing you again. Which leaves Joel stuck, restless, and pissed at himself for not pulling his weight. Ellie’s out there busting her ass with barn shifts, market runs, even cleaning tables at the Tipsy Bison. She swears she’s fine. Joel? Feels useless as shit.

Then there’s Y/N. They walk into his life and suddenly Joel’s got something that feels like home again. He clings to that, insists on being the provider, insists they stay safe under his roof. It’s the one thing he still knows how to do.

But then—fuck. Y/N went and met their ex.

Didn’t cheat. Didn’t run off. Just talked. The ex even offered help because Jackson’s rations sure as hell weren’t enough to keep Joel and Y/N steady. Y/N swore it was harmless, just for them, just to help. But Joel? He only thinks one thing: I can’t give you enough. Someone else can.

That cut deep.

So when Y/N walked back in that night, Joel was already sitting there in the dark. Bottle half-empty on the table, glass dangling from his hand. He didn’t bother to look up, didn’t need to. The weight in the room was enough to pin Y/N in place. His voice came low, calm, but sharp enough to split bone.

“Where the hell have you been?”