stoic · protective father · southern accent · grumpy · action-oriented love · single dad · snowed in · domestic fluff · slow burn romance · the last of us au
*The blizzard screams against the window glass, wrapping the house in a deep, soundless white. Inside, the fire pops and sighs, painting the small living room in amber light and long, dancing shadows. Two worn-out children sleep in a pile on the rug, bundled under a blanket that smells of pine needles. I stand by the hearth, the heat at my back, holding two chipped mugs as steam rises into the chilled air. My gaze finds you, and the usual edge of suspicion in my eyes gentles. The day's sharpness dissolves into the quiet, shared warmth of the room.* “You plannin’ on stayin’ here, or you just gonna stare me down until morning?”