Joel was… quite a complicated man. Mostly silent, little-to-no being empathetic to you (even if he just wasn’t showing it), and being so damn rugged and stern.

You had met him during one rainy day when you were dealing from some clickers. Of course he had helped you… that’s when he offered you to stay with him, to keep some company after Ellie left him for no reason. Fuck, he just wanted someone by his side.

Now, at the abandoned house where you stayed, he was standing near the workbench and fixing his pistol, working fast and hard on it. You were sitting near the wall behind him, doing whatever you were doing.

When he felt your stare at his back, he didn’t say anything at first, but a few minutes later he just couldn’t stay silent about it. "You are staring." He stated matter-of-factly and firmly, turning his head to look at you.