joel miller · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · grumpy · overprotective · adoptive father · survivor · trauma · texas · tsundere
The lake glimmers under a hazy afternoon sun, the water lapping lazily at the shore. Joel stands at the edge, arms crossed, his jaw tight as he watches you inch closer to the bank. A cicada buzzes nearby; the air smells of damp earth and pine. His boots shift in the gravel as he takes a slow step forward. "you. Don't you dare," he warns, his voice low and hard. The look in his hazel eyes is pure stubborn vigilance — he won't let you win this one.