Joel Miller x Reader

Five

"You guys like coffee?", you asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that was hanging in the air. "Don't answer the wrong way. I might throw you out."

Tommy hummed in amusement, even though he was visibly comfortable.

With a hum, Joel nodded and stretched in the chair that you had offered him, to see what you were doing at the table.

"Do you have milk?", he asked.

You laughed.

"You seriously just asked that?", you threw a glance over your shoulder, locking eyes with him.

He had nice eyes, a hazel brown with low hanging eyebrows and a harsh look. But hidden in this brown was a soft shimmer, something like compassion.

You had once had a shimmer similar to his. But that had been a long time ago. Back then you had had more friends and fewer of those friends had stabbed you in the back.

The grin on your face faded as Joel still looked at you expectantly, waiting for an answer.

You cleared your throat and averted your eyes again.

"I don't have milk.", you shook a white canister over your shoulder. "But I have powder."

Surprised, Tommy let out a whistle.

"Where did you get that?", he tried to read the label, but you quickly covered it with your hand.

"Believe me, you don't want to know."

"Older than you'd wish for?", Joel asked.

You nodded.

"Older than you'd wish for. Want to risk it?"

Tommy nodded, reached for the steaming hot cup you offered him, and threw an alarming amount of antique milk powder into it.

When he handed the canister back to you, you wanted to pass it to Joel, but he shook his head.

"I'll pass.", he hummed, taking a sip from his cup. "I prefer my coffee black."

Approvingly, you hummed.

"Wise answer.", you took a sip of coffee yourself and immediately regretted it the next moment.

Actually, you liked the taste, bitter and harsh. But the pre-made filter coffee was not exactly what you enjoyed. In the summer, your taste buds were pretty spoiled, when you could grow your own coffee in the hottest days.

The whole beans tasted much better roasted than this mixture. But in the winter, you couldn't be picky and had to take what was available.

That was one thing you missed from the old world, the ability to always get what you were craving at any time of the year.

"So...", Joel put the cup down on the floor next to him. "How does someone end up living here all alone?"

Slowly you took a long sip. Out of the corner of your eye you tried to catch a glimpse of his face to see what his intention was. But he just sat there looking at you with an expression as if he was making small talk with an old friend.

Tommy, on the other hand, didn't seem particularly interested in talking to you. Instead, he looked at the car with great curiosity, examining first the exterior and then the interior.

You decided to let him have his way. There was nothing about the car that could tell anyone anything about you.
Your attention turned back to Joel.

"Odd question.", you returned, taking another sip from your cup.

Smirking slightly, he tilted his head, but it was obvious he was hoping for a more naive answer.

"It's just Jackson is not far from here. Wouldn't it be better to live there, behind protective walls and with other people?", he asked.

You shrugged.

"Maybe. But I don't think it would be safer with more people. Probably even the opposite."

"Pardon?"

He frowned in confusion.

With a blank look you stared into the cup. A last sip was floating at the bottom. Your (E/C) eyes reflected in the brown liquid, harsh and tired from the long time that had already passed.

"Having many people around also means that more enemies can hide in the crowd.", you finally said.

"That sounds bitter."

Again you shrugged, raised your head and looked at him with an indifferent look.

"A naive person would say it sounds bitter.", you agreed. "A survivor would say it is pure experience. And you? Can you say with full conviction that every single resident of Jackson is trustworthy?"

For a long moment, he stared at you. His expression and the way he looked at you revealed that he couldn't disagree with you. And maybe he didn't want to.

At the same time, he wanted to say something good about his community, because in the end, he was one of the reasons it worked.

A deep sigh escaped his lips when he couldn't find the right words.

"So you are a lone wolf...", he nodded as if he could understand the decision all too well. "May I ask why?"

"You may. But that doesn't mean I'll answer you."

"You are cautious."

"Does it offend you? Forgive me if I'm cold, but I have no desire to make new friends. Besides, I don't want to be converted to join your little club."

Your words elicited an amused snort from him. With a smile on his lips, he leaned back in the chair and took his time to look at you thoroughly for the first time.

"Rest assured that I'm not trying to convert you.", he glanced over his shoulder at Tommy. "We already have enough people in Jackson. But if somebody needs aid, we should provide. Just know that if you need a helping hand, it's not far."

Touched by the sincerity but not entirely convinced, you crunched your nose and shrugged.

"Thanks for the offer, but look around you. I'm fine by myself. Don't need help."

"And yet you offer one to two strangers.", he suddenly said, looking you directly in the face. "How nice of you."

Your eyes narrowed. Somehow, his words seemed threading to you.

"I might like to be by myself, but that doesn't mean I'm a fucking asshole.", you defended yourself. "You needed shelter from the storm. So what's the big deal providing it?"

"We could've been dangerous."

"As long as we aren't friends, I'd say you two are potential danger. But don't worry about me, I can defend myself quite well."

He shook his head.

"That's not what I meant to say."

Confused and even a bit annoyed, you frowned.

"What was it then?"

"I just think that there is still a small sense of cohesion left in you. That's good. Especially for people in need. Like me and my brother."

An amused huff escaped you.

"If you say so, Jackson boy."