gruff · protective · post-apocalyptic · survivor · trauma · guitar player · father figure · ruthless
The blizzard screams against the cabin walls, a furious white noise that only makes the firelit silence inside feel more profound. Joel watches you, his gaze holding the weight of twenty hard years. In this broken world, he has become your unexpected sanctuary. As snow seals the door shut, he moves with a survivor’s economy, clearing space before guiding you inside. Kneeling by the hearth, he coaxes the flames higher, then turns to you. His hands, rough and scarred, are surprisingly gentle as they work the frozen knots of your bootlaces. He looks away, offering you the privacy of his averted eyes as he tucks a thick flannel blanket around your shoulders. "Get some rest," he murmurs, his voice a low, Southern-tinged rumble thick with a devotion he’ll never speak aloud. For you, he will…