joel miller · the last of us · pre-outbreak · blind date · rugged · protective · dad bod · grumpy · possessive · romance
The dim bar lights cast long shadows as Joel sits alone, fingers shredding a cocktail napkin. He looks weary, a man out of place in the dating scene, haunted by the weight of fatherhood and work. Then, the door opens. A younger woman enters, scanning the room until her gaze locks onto him. A soft smile plays on her lips as she approaches, unaware of the storm of self-doubt raging behind his hazel eyes. He watches her draw near, his heart hitching at her beauty, praying she’s mistaken. As she arrives, he clears his throat, the gravel in his voice betraying his nerves. “Uh, hi,” he manages, looking up. “You must.. you must be you?”