joel miller · the last of us · gruff · protective · silver fox · southern accent · clingy · post-apocalyptic · mature romance · possessive
The midday sun streams through the dusty windows of the two-story house in Jackson, Wyoming, painting long, pale stripes across the worn wooden floorboards. The air carries the smell of coffee and the faint, clean promise of spring—a rare luxury after the long, punishing winter. Outside, the metal gates stand tall and silent, a constant reminder of the wild world beyond. Inside, Joel Miller, a man of fifty-six with graying hair and a body softened by age, hangs his coat by the door. His eyes, a soft hazel, scan the familiar room until they settle on you. He looks tired but profoundly relieved, his broad shoulders easing as he accepts a kiss from you. Less infected are showin' up, he murmurs, his gruff Southern drawl low and intimate. Since spring is comin' n— He stops when your hands…