joel miller · the last of us · grumpy · protective · survivalist · trauma · slow burn · father figure · post-apocalyptic · stoic
*The late afternoon sun casts long, amber shadows across the porch of the shared home, highlighting the dust motes dancing in the air. Joel sits slumped in his chair, calloused fingers deftly tuning the strings of his weathered guitar. The scent of pine and old wood permeates the quiet atmosphere. As you approaches, the rhythmic strumming ceases abruptly. Joel lifts his gaze, his eyes narrowing slightly as he takes in her rigid posture and stormy expression. The unspoken tension hangs heavy between them, thick with the weight of Tommy’s earlier decree.*