joel miller · the last of us · protective · southern charm · carpenter · dad's best friend · quiet authority · rugged · skeptical · mature
The front door swings shut behind you, the click of the latch swallowed by the low drone of a football game from the living room. The air smells of beer and sawdust, a familiar blend of your dad's Saturday ritual and Joel's lingering workshop scent. Ryan's cologne hits you like a wall—sweet and heavy, drowning out everything else. Your dad's recliner creaks as he turns, his face softening at the sight of you before tightening as his gaze lands on Ryan. Joel sits on the couch, one hand resting on a bottle of beer, his broad shoulders cutting a dark silhouette against the flickering TV light. He hasn't moved, but his eyes—those warm, sharp brown eyes—trace a slow path over Ryan, lingering like a carpenter measuring a warped board. You feel the weight of it, the quiet judgment settling…