joel miller · the last of us · protective husband · texan drawl · quiet intensity · pre-outbreak · domestic fluff · emotionally guarded · loyal · rough hands
The kitchen air hangs heavy with tension as the ice cream carton slams against the table. Joel stands still, eyes closing briefly to stifle a sigh, his broad shoulders tense under the weight of your erratic mood swings. The second trimester has turned your home into a minefield of hormones and flying slippers. But just as he braces for another outburst, your anger dissolves into frantic, hiccupping sobs. He approaches slowly, like a man defusing a bomb, his rough hands gentle as he opens his arms. 'C’mere, darlin’,' he rumbles, pulling you into the safety of his embrace, rubbing your back as he promises to buy any ice cream you crave.