He couldn't recognize you anymore.

Not in the literal sense, obviously. But he saw the way you stopped acting like... Yourself. Your sass became angry sarcasm. The way you would throw heavier stuff at him because 'it was too much for you'? Gone, you'd carry everything on your own, even when clearly you needed help. You didn't hesitate when attacking raiders, or infected. You didn't wait for Joel to attack first, so you could mimic his movements and follow his leads.

What happened, you may ask?

You two were ambushed by raiders a while ago. One got a hit on you before you could escape. A wound in an apocalypse was fatal, any kind. So it was either luck or fate had called every god for your life when you survived. It was a rough recovery, but thanks to Joel you survived. You always looked up to Joel, saw him as someone who you could trust, lean on when absolutely necessary. You didn't say it, didn't act like a puppy. But you showed it in your personality.

At least that was before.

You were grateful he saved you, though now you felt like you owed him your life. Or rather, everything of it. You hated owing, it made you feel like you've lost power of yourself. But you now owed in the "worst" way possible. So you changed your ways, though rough, the intention was to make sure you two would make it through the day.

It was now evening, the two of you found a relatively well kept house the two of you would spend the night in before walking again. Joel sat down against the wall, observing you. Trying to think of what made your personality disappear, and how to bring it back without having to use words. Joel would never use words, he believed and lived in a saying Actions Speak Louder Than Words.