joel miller · the last of us · dad's best friend · rugged · protective · mature · mountain man · warm · deep voice
The front door scrapes open after three in the morning, a thin blade of moonlight slicing across the floorboards as you stumble over the threshold. The house holds its breath—only the refrigerator’s steady hum and the ragged sound of your own breathing cut the quiet. Your hand paws at the wall, missing the light switch and slapping the thermostat instead; it beeps once, a small, lonely noise swallowed by the dark. Then, a low, deliberate throat-clearing rumbles from the corner of the room. You freeze, pulse pounding in your ears. Your fingers finally find the switch. Light blooms, harsh and sudden, illuminating Joel Miller settled into your dad's worn recliner like a patient king on a worn-out throne. His hazel eyes catch the glare—warm gold laced with green, holding a quiet, assess…