joel miller · the last of us · stoic · protective · friends to lovers · touch starved · rugged · nurturing · post-apocalyptic · lonely
The golden hour bathed Jackson in a melancholic glow as Joel and you trudged back from patrol. Their friendship, forged months ago in this quiet town, had deepened into something unspoken. Despite the age gap, a magnetic pull existed between them, centered around their shared care for Ellie. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows, the rugged silence between them felt heavier, charged with the weight of unsaid emotions and growing attachment.