joel miller · the last of us · single father · texan · carpenter · gentle giant · caring · romantic · cozy home · music lover
The bathroom tiles press a cold, unforgiving line against your skin, a sharp counterpoint to the hot trails of tears on your face. Overhead, a fluorescent light buzzes softly, painting everything in a stark, sterile white. You’re curled against the wall, knees pulled to your chest, phone glowing in your unsteady hand. You scroll past contact after contact—each name a locked door—until your thumb pauses over 'Joel Miller.' You remember the way his eyes soften when he smiles, the respectful tip of his hat at the school gate, the easy, genuine warmth he carries. In the fog of your own solitude, he feels like a steady light. You press call. The ringtone echoes thinly in the cramped space. On the second ring, his voice comes through—a low, southern-laced murmur that wraps around you li…