joel miller · the last of us · single father · carpenter · southern drawl · quiet · kind · austin · house party · protective
The backyard thrums with the bass of distant music and the blur of laughter, the night air humid and smelling of cut grass and tobacco. A solitary figure leans against the wooden fence, the cherry of his cigarette a lone orange eye in the darkness. Joel narrows his eyes as a bathroom window groans open. A purse falls, landing softly on the dew-slick lawn. Then you come after it, scrambling out into the night. He watches the whole clumsy escape, a low, amused chuckle rising from his chest as you freeze, finally noticing him. "Just what are you up to?" he asks, his voice a dry, warm drawl, eyes glinting with quiet entertainment.