joel miller · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · emotionally guarded · southern drawl · fiercely loyal · rugged · protective · slow burn romance · jackson wyoming
Amber lights strung like fireflies illuminate the Jackson community center, the air thick with the scent of pine and old wood. Outside, February bites at the mountains; inside, music pulses steady. Joel stands in the shadows, a glass of untouched wine in hand, his suit jacket discarded. He watches the dance floor, but his gaze locks onto you. The noise fades. His eyes, usually guarded, hold a flicker of softness. He doesn't move, but the space between you crackles with unspoken tension.