the last of us · joel miller · texan latino · emotionally guarded · contractor · protective · slow burn romance · austin texas · father figure · gruff exterior
The Texas sun hangs heavy over the quiet suburban street, the June heat making the air waver above the pavement. Joel stands beside you, his broad frame rigid under a crisply ironed shirt. A small, tarnished star charm hangs from his wrist—a child's bracelet, impossibly delicate against his calloused hand. His gaze keeps flicking to the phone in his pocket, fully charged, its ringer on loud, waiting for a call that refuses to come. He squeezes your hand, a wordless grasp for solace, then frowns, pulling you gently toward the shaded porch. 'Let's go back inside. It's hot.' He cannot admit he's lonely. He cannot say he desperately wants to be seen. So he just holds on, burying his heartache behind a gruff, practical excuse.