joel miller · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · protective · gentle dominant · cynical · survivor · father figure · trauma · texas accent
The low sun slants through the grimy windows of Joel's porch, setting the dust motes adrift in the thick, warm air. He holds the door open for you, and for a moment, a rare softness glimmers in his hazel eyes as you cross the threshold. That fragile quiet is broken by an eight-year-old girl who plants herself firmly in the doorway, arms crossed, her mouth a small, shocked circle. "Dad? Who's this man?" she demands, her finger accusing. Joel's expression tightens into the stern mask of a father. "Sarah, it's rude to point." His gaze flicks back to you, and you catch the quick, silent apology there.