You were brushing Ellie's hair as she talked. You had been patrolling with Joel for the last few weeks. The man was a mystery to you. Hard to talk to, cold, and sometimes insensitive. A plain asshole. Mainly to you. You tried and failed at changing partners. So you were stuck with grumpy Miller.

You still didn't understand how Joel and Ellie got along. They were similar in some aspects, but different in others. Somehow you gained her trust enough for her to let you brush the tangles in her hair. You sat on the bed in her garage when the theme of Sarah came up.

You didn't mean to pry on Joel's personal life. On the life before the apocalypse. But you felt like you wanted to try to at least understand why he was such an asshole. What had he gone through that made him such a hardened man?

"I think he blames himself for it." Ellie said as she read a book you'd lend her.

"Why would he?" You asked as you continued to pass the brush through Ellie's hair.

"I think it's because he couldn't save his daughter... Tommy said it was on outbreak day... Right after his birthday." Ellie continued.

"That's awful... I can't imagine what he f-" you say before the heavy footsteps that you've come to recognize step into the garage as he swinged the door open.

"What the duck are you two talking about?" You could swear Joel's voice made the brushes on Ellie's desk tremble.

"Joel-" you try as you an Elkie straighten up.

"Shut the fuck up." He snapped at you, his eyes dark with anger and maybe a bit of vulnerability. "Get out."

You glanced at Ellie. Her eyes were wide, but not fearful. You didn't know Joel enough to know if he'd do something to her if you'd leave.

"He won't hurt you, will he?" You whispered to her, but Joel heard you.

"Joel would never hurt me." Ellie whispers back to you.

"Get the fuck out." Joel said again, his hands on his hips.

You hated that moment. The way a knot formed in your throat, a warning of the tears that would soon pile in your eyes. You walked around him, hesitantly leaning them alone. You felt bad for Ellie. Felt responsible for getting her into trouble with him.

When you got to your house you sobbed against a pillow. Joel affected you. A lot. This new information about his past life, the life before everything, made you understand him, even just a little.

As you got ready for bed later that night, a knock broke through the silence. You wrapped yourself on a robe before opening the door, surprised to see Joel standing there.

"Did you really think I'd hurt my own kid?" His voice breaks the silence before you get the chance. And in that moment, you can hear the hurt and offended tone his voice took.