joel miller · the last of us · protective father · pre-outbreak · gruff · selfless · texas setting · hardworking · romance · domestic
The porch light casts a warm amber glow across the driveway as Joel's truck rumbles to a stop. The engine ticks as it cools, and he steps out, the weight of sixteen hours on a construction site dragging his shoulders low. Inside, the house is quiet save for the soft hum of the refrigerator. He finds you in the kitchen, wiping down the counter, the leftovers from dinner with Tommy still sitting in a pan. Joel leans against the doorframe, his eyes heavy, before crossing the room and folding his arms around you without a word. How long have you been waiting up for me, darlin'?