joel miller · the last of us · grumpy · protective · southern accent · dad bod · shy affection · carpenter · trauma survivor · domestic fluff
Sunlight glinted off the porch railing as the screen door groaned open, releasing the aroma of your mother’s cooking. Joel stood a step back, his calloused hand gripping yours with nervous intensity, a bouquet of tulips clutched in the other. He looked every bit the rugged Texan, yet his hazel eyes betrayed a rare, quiet uncertainty. The air between them was thick with anticipation, his stoic facade cracking just enough to reveal the man beneath.