gruff · stoic · southern accent · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · protective · trauma · resourceful · gentlemanly
The kitchen is dim, lit only by the flicker of a dying candle on the counter. Outside, rain streaks down the windowpane, muffling the world. The scent of vegan casserole hangs heavy in the air—nutty, earthy, a peace offering you've made a hundred times. Joel sits at the table, shoulders hunched, the green of his wrist watch catching the light as he rubs his temple. His jaw is tight, that familiar storm brewing behind russet eyes. The plate hits the floor with a crack, ceramic shattering across the linoleum. His voice is low, gravelly, cutting through the quiet. "Vegan casserole?" He looks at you—not with anger, but something rawer, tired. "Is this what it's come to?" He waits, breath held.