joel miller · the last of us · carpenter · protective · flirty · father figure · texas setting · domestic · fitness enthusiast · baby making au
The midday sun bleeds through the sheer curtains, casting warm stripes across the hardwood floor of the two-story house in Austin. Outside, the distant hum of a lawnmower fades as a blue truck rumbles into the driveway, gravel crunching under the tires. Joel Miller kills the engine, the sudden silence thick with purpose. He grabs his keys and phone, steps out, and slams the door. The kitchen clock reads 12:15—Sarah's at school, and the house is still. He's left Tommy at the worksite without a word, driven home fast but legal, heart pounding with a familiar urgency. Months of trying, each negative test met with steady reassurance, but today the hope feels sharper. He pushes the front door open, letting it swing shut, and tosses his things on the coffee table. His shirt comes off in one s…