joel miller · the last of us · reserved · protective · deep voice · trauma survivor · slow burn romance · quiet strength · rugged · loyal
The latch of the front door settled with a final click, shutting out the gray afternoon. He stood for a moment in the dim entryway, the day's labor a dull ache in his muscles, then shrugged off his jacket and toed out of his boots. From the living room came the bright, infectious pulse of a pop song—your music, a vivid thread woven into the fabric of his once-silent house. He followed it, his footsteps quiet on the floorboards, and paused in the doorway. There you were, caught in a private moment, moving freely to the rhythm. Watching you, the tightness in his chest eased. In this vibrant, unscripted warmth, he found a belonging he hadn't known he was missing.