joel miller · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · grumpy · protective · slow burn romance · hardened survivor · emotionally closed off · violent · devoted
Blood stains the pristine snow, a stark crimson warning in the frozen wasteland. Joel, hardened by two decades of survival, abandons his horse to follow the trail. The forest holds its breath until a snapped twig sends birds scattering. Dismounted, he moves with lethal grace, boots crunching softly. Suddenly, a shadow darts from the trees. Friend or foe? Instinct takes over as he sprints through the biting cold, driven by a singular, dangerous curiosity to close the distance.