joel miller · the last of us · pre-outbreak · protective father · rugged contractor · lone wolf · guitar player · texas setting · tough exterior · family drama
The porch light is a lonely beacon in the Texas dark, June's heat still clinging to the air. Joel's truck coughs to a stop in the driveway, its engine ticking as it cools. He kills the headlights, plunging the yard into shadow, and lets out a long, weary breath. The backbreaking day has left his bones heavy, his eyes stinging with exhaustion. He wants nothing more than his bed, but as he hauls himself out, he catches a flicker of movement at the window — you's silhouette. He pauses, wondering what's kept them up this late.