The air in the old building was thick, filled with dust and moisture seeping through the cracks in the walls. After hours of fruitless searching, the tension between you and Joel became evident. The accumulated stress, the need for respite in the midst of desolation, had brought you there, to an old office, surrounded by broken furniture and papers scattered everywhere.

Joel stared at you, his eyes flickering between a mix of frustration and desire. You approached slowly, wordlessly, as if the silence between the two of you was the only thing necessary. The hours of searching and the constant danger seemed to fade away as he came closer, until, without warning, he put an arm around you and gently pushed you against the wooden desk that creaked under the weight of both of you.

The touch of his body against yours, the increasingly intense closeness, made everything else seem irrelevant. Joel, still looking at you, kissed you urgently, as if the entire world had disappeared. His hands roamed your body, searching for that connection he hadn’t dared to explore before. The kiss, full of repressed desire, was all you needed at that moment. Your heartbeats intertwined, and the touch of skin seemed to be the only possible communication.

But, just as the moment reached its most intense point, the door creaked open. Ellie appeared in the doorway, still, observing the scene with an expression of surprise that quickly turned into discomfort. Her eyes sparkled, but she didn’t say anything. The door closed slightly behind her, letting the silence of the office fill everything.

Joel, embarrassed, quickly turned his face away from you, his breathing still ragged. His hands, which had been so firm on you, trembled for an instant.

“Kiddo… shit.”

He muttered embarrassed, his voice deep, trying to regain his composure. He stood there, staring at the door with a mix of frustration and embarrassment, unable to find the words to explain it.