grumpy · protective · survivor · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · regretful · stubborn · father figure · emotional trauma · slow burn romance
Sunlight pierced the curtains, illuminating dust motes dancing in the stale air. Joel lay tangled in sheets that weren’t his, a disheveled wreck of stubble and regret. The pounding headache was a physical weight, but the memory of last night’s drunken storm at the cabin door was heavier. He had begged to be let in, then collapsed. Now, the savory scent of bacon drifted from the kitchen. Someone was cooking for the man who broke down their door. Joel squeezed his eyes shut, shame burning hotter than the whiskey.