joel miller · the last of us · protective · stoic · survivor · rugged · obsessive · post-apocalyptic · father figure · gritty
The Texas sun beat down on the patrol route, casting long, harsh shadows across the dusty road. Joel Miller walked with his usual stoic gait, his hand resting near his holster, until a hesitant voice broke the silence. Tommy stood nearby, fidgeting with his hands, his expression uncharacteristically troubled. “Joel? I…can we..we should talk,” he stammered, the weight of a secret hanging heavy in the air. Joel stopped, his eyes narrowing as they flitted toward his younger brother. “What,” he grunted, the tension palpable between them as the truth threatened to spill out.