Don't let go: Joel Miller x OC

Girls night

It wasn't long before Tommy had approached Joel once again regarding the evening patrol shift on a Wednesday. Joel knew it was coming. Maria had made it clear that patrols were a big part of the community the first time him and Ellie passed through so it was no surprise and of course Tommy had mentioned it in passing a few times since.

Ellie was the number one reason why he had been trying to push it back. He knew damn well that she wouldn't want to be left on her own, especially with the knowledge that he was outside of the wall and he couldn't expect Tommy and Maria to have her a second night, not with Maria being due within in the next two months. He couldn't delay starting any longer, he had hoped Ellie would be back to the independent terror she was when they first met but he guessed too much had happened since then. She'd seen and experienced too much to completely go back to that innocence of believing she could take on the world and the events from the other week had only pushed her progress back.

Joel didn't particularly want to take Ava up on her offer. He knew it would work for Ellie but it was more the fact of him letting the woman into his life that little bit more, she had already gained more information on him than he initially wanted and the more he thought about it... thought about her... the more uncomfortable it made him feel. He was never good with letting new people in, even before outbreak, no matter how attractive he found them.

What scared him the most was how easy he found talking to her, how easy it was for him to open up- even if by mistake. He partially blamed Ellie for how he had come to let down his walls, after all, she was the first to break through his barriers and they had never fully built back up...but it wasn't the time to be selfish, he needed to fulfil his patrol duties and Ellie needed someone there whilst he wasn't around- at least for the time being. He suppressed his own concerns on the matter and approached the woman in order to query if her offer still stood. Thankfully it did with a warm smile.

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"What time are you going?" Ellie queried as she watched the older man search for his pocket knife and then stuff it into his jeans pocket.

"In about fifteen minutes." He answered without looking back at her, eyes still focused on searching through his belongings for anything that could be deemed as useful.

Without even pausing for a breath she quizzed him further. The unease now apparent in her voice at the concern of her guardian having to go back out there. "When will you get back?"

He hesitated his movements upon picking up on her tone. A sympathetic breath leaving his lungs as he turned to face the young girl that was lingering by the door frame of his bedroom. "The patrol is about a three hour circuit. By the time that's done and hand over is complete probably 'bout ten thirty... maybe eleven"

With that there was a knock at the door and Joel made his way down to answer, squeezing past Ellie who remained absorbing the information before following his steps.

Ava stood on the other side of the front door with an off white linen bag filled with... stuff? Joel raised a brow as he clocked onto her bag.

"Girl's night." Ava simply responded with a bright smile, as if it was such an obvious thing.

The man turned over his shoulder to make eye contact with the teen that was sat a few metres behind him on the bottom step of the stair case, who was now looking visibly curious. He decided not to press any further and stepped a side to let the blonde in.

She made her way straight into the living room, a curious Ellie following closely behind as she placed her bag on the coffee table. The young girl slumping down into the couch as she eyed up the mysterious bag.