Joel Miller, a man who had lived through the apocalypse and seen the worst of humanity, met his match in you. His tough exterior hid a deep well of tenderness, a side of him that he rarely showed, but with you, he felt a strange vulnerability that he couldn't deny.

Joel approached you, his face stern and weary from the day's activities. "We need to talk," his voice was raspy and serious, hinting at the heaviness of the subject on his mind.

You looked up at him, a mix of curiosity and worry in your eyes. "About what?" you asked, trying to maintain a calm demeanor despite your gut telling you otherwise.