Note
I don't know if this is too cheesy or too simple, but imagine the reader being in charge of taking Ellie to the fireflies along with Joel and then she ends up kind of becoming Ellie's mother and Joel's romantic partner (like a Tess who got a happy ending LOL). I can CLEARLY see Joel taking care of these two as if they were his own wife and daughter (AND THEY ARE, NOBODY CAN CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE)
ahh that's so sweet! I loveeee a found family trope and both Joel and Ellie deserve to have a functioning family so bad holy shit. For some reason I haven't written Ellie into my stories at all, I don't know why, because I love her almost as much as Joel. I think just enjoy focusing on the dynamic between two people and adding Ellie would make things much more complex? But I'm definitely thinking about this!!! If I ever write a family trope like that, you'll be the first to know <333
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
I’m so excited for you all to read my dbf wedding oneshot i wanna be done writing it so I can see your thoughts 😭😭😭 12k and they’re still circling each other oh this is gonna be longggggg 🩷 I love healing all of my psychological problems by giving them to reader and having Joel fuck them out of her
#my therapist would find this interesting! but she’s hundreds of miles away so let me pretend my whole family knows I’m fucking my dbf 🩷#we’re all so detached from just how depraved that trope actually is lol I love all of u sickos#anyway going to bed now but hopefully getting another good chunk done tomorrow!#mine#writing update
7 notes
·
View notes
Text

I was thinking about how quickly I became attached to Joel and his relationship to Ellie last year and I JUST realised it happened when my Dad told me he had cancer and we thought he was going to die. So. Do with that what you will
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
I was thinking about how quickly I became attached to Joel and his relationship to Ellie last year and I JUST realised it happened when my Dad told me he had cancer and we thought he was going to die. So. Do with that what you will
#I really went ‘oh dad is dying? well THIS dad isn’t’ and then I found out about part two#I couldnt watch or read anything about father-daughter relationships for a solid 6 months#with one exception <3 Joel miller youre everything to me#also u dont gotta tell me this is weird ok I didn’t read a single book or watch a single movie for half a year#that game was the only way I knew how to cope dont come at me for finding Joel sexy that’s naughtydogs fault#mine
9 notes
·
View notes
Text

Joel Miller meeting your parents
this is just a stupid little thing from seeing this gif of him in this post ok thank you and goodnight. Been having writers block so if an idea can get this far on docs I’m posting it
|| fluff, little bit nsfw, daddy kink, old man joel, peepaw joel meets your parents, reader's dad is kind of a hard ass, I suck at flirty banter tbh, cracking up at some of the shit I put in here, enjoy ||
“Baby, I’m serious—” Joel said, but his hands betrayed him, gripping at your hips like he couldn’t help himself as you climbed into his lap. Your knees framed his thick thighs, still clad in worn denim, while his green plaid shirt had come untucked and bunched around his waist. A sliver of soft, tanned stomach peeked out as he leaned back against the bed frame.
“I’m serious too,” you murmured, voice thick with want as you pressed your mouth to his neck. Your fingers wove through his hair, tugging just enough to make him groan. “Need you, Joel. Been thinking about this all day.”
“We’re gonna be late if you keep this up,” he rasped, even as his head tipped back to give you more of his throat, groaning low when your teeth grazed the scruff along his jaw.
“Don’t care,” you breathed, lips brushing the shell of his ear. “They’ll be fine.”
You hiked your skirt higher, rocking down against him, already expecting to feel that familiar ache of him beneath you—but instead, your hips stilled at the softness of his lap. You blinked, confused, pulling back just enough to search his face. But Joel wouldn’t meet your eyes. His gaze darted everywhere else, over your shoulder, to the wall behind you, the damn nightstand—anywhere but you.
“…Joel?”
He still wouldn’t look at you. You moved your hands to his chest, flattening them against the flannel, feeling the heavy thudding of his heart beneath your fingers.
“You okay?” you asked, softer now, studying him. He looked nice tonight with his hair slicked back, beard freshly trimmed, and his shirt sleeves rolled up just enough to show off the veins in his forearms.
You cocked your head, more curious than concerned now as you really looked at him. “Are you…” You reached up, cupping his jaw, gently turning his face until his eyes finally met yours. “Joel Miller, are you nervous?”
He let out a long breath, his voice low and a little rough. “Course I’m nervous, baby.”
“Why?” you asked, easing back in his lap. You could still feel the warmth of his hands on your hips, thumbs sweeping slow, steady circles. It was more soothing for him than you now, grounding himself in the feeling of you.
“Any man’d be nervous meetin’ his girl’s parents for the first time,” he muttered, eyes flicking away again. Then, quieter, “Even if they weren’t his own damn age…”
You smiled softly, leaning in to press a kiss to his lips—gentle, unhurried. He let you, kissing you back with a quiet sigh, the kind that said he was trying not to get pulled under. You hovered close, noses brushing, before pulling back just enough to meet his eyes again.
“They’re gonna love you,” you whispered.
Joel gave a dry huff, eyes flicking away. “They’re gonna think I’m a damn pervert.”
“You are a pervert.”
His gaze snapped back to yours, narrowing just a bit, the muscles in his jaw tightening. You didn’t miss the way his brows dipped or how his eyes darkened, heat stirring just beneath the surface.
You bit back a grin, fingers tracing along the collar of his shirt. “It’s one of my favorite things about you.”
He rolled his eyes, still glaring up at you, and you let your shoulders drop, giving in. “Okay, so you’re older than me, who cares? You’re also respectful. And kind. You’re a good man. You even built my cat a window catio.”
That earned the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth, though he still wouldn’t look at you.
“And you didn’t have to say yes to any of this,” you added, quieter now. “But you did.”
He let out a breath, one hand tightening just slightly at your waist.
You leaned in, your nose brushing his. “And if I thought for one second they wouldn’t like you, I wouldn’t be dragging you into this.”
Finally, his eyes flicked to yours, unsure but searching.
You gave him a small smile. “You’ve got nothing to prove. Just… be yourself. Maybe with slightly less scowling.”
His lips twitched into even more of a smile then, and you kissed the corner of his mouth, lingering there a moment. “But if it helps…” you murmured, lips grazing his jaw now, “I can think of something to get your mind off it for a minute.”
Joel let out a slow breath, one he’d been holding in the entirety of your reassurances, his head falling back against your pillows again.
You smiled against his throat, lips curved with mischief. “I mean… if you really want me to stop…” you murmured, pressing your mouth to the spot just under his jaw. “I could get off your lap.”
Your hips shifted like you might, and his grip on you instantly tightened.
“But then…” you went on, voice all innocent and sinful at once, “what should I do about all this?”
You reached down, took his hand in yours, and guided it between your thighs, right over your panties, where the heat of you was unmistakable. His palm pressed flush against the soaked fabric, and you felt his breath catch sharp in his chest.
He hummed low in his throat, something dark and approving, and as your fingers slipped away, his own pressed harder. His touch was firm, possessive, like he’d been dying to do it but holding back until now.
“This’s all for me?” he finally muttered, voice rough as gravel. “Just from sittin’ in daddy’s lap, huh?”
You whimpered, rocking into his hand, desperate for more friction as you nodded. He gave it to you, slow circles with his fingers that had your breath stuttering, your thighs trembling around his. Even with the fabric between you, you could feel his rough calloused pads of his fingers perfectly against the heat of you.
“Joel,” you whined, barely even meaning to say it.
With a grunt, he shifted, and suddenly your back hit the mattress with a soft thud. He was over you in a flash, his body heavy and hot as he settled between your legs, looking at you like he was starving.
“You got me all worked up now,” he muttered, voice thick and low as his hands dragged your skirt higher, exposing more of your thighs. “Can’t let you walk out that door like this.”
He dipped his head to your neck, lips brushing over your pulse point before suckling gently. The scrape of his beard followed, rough and hot, as he worked his way lower, mouthing at the curve of your collarbone. Then down further, pushing your shirt up as he went, lifting it just enough to mouth at the soft skin of your chest.
“Let me take care of you,” he rasped, dragging his tongue over the top of your breast, nipping at it like he couldn’t help himself. “Let me take care of this little problem, huh, baby?”
You let out a breathless laugh, your fingers tangling in his hair. “Knew I’d get your mind off it, old man.”
His hands were everywhere now—palming your thighs, gripping your hips, pushing your panties aside just enough to slide his fingers back where they belonged in your wet, glistening entrance. His mouth returned to your skin, kissing and suckling until your back arched and your breath hitched in your throat.
Joel finally lifted his head, eyes dark and hungry as he hovered over you.
“You gonna be the one tellin’ your parents why we’re late?” he quirked his eyebrow with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
You smirked, hands sliding up his shoulders and onto his neck, tugging at the nape of his hair, “I’ll say I had to help you calm your nerves. Blow off some steam. Pretty sure I’m doing everyone a favor.”
Joel huffed a low laugh, shaking his head as he looked down at you. “That so?” he murmured, his smile pulling a little wider. “You’re real proud of yourself, huh?”
You grinned up at him, eyes sparkling. “You’re welcome.”
He chuckled again, the sound low and warm in his chest. But then something shifted, his gaze lingering a little longer, smile easing into something softer. His eyes flicked around your face like he was locking it into his memory. The mischief faded, replaced by something deeper, something heavier.
When he kissed you, it wasn’t playful anymore. It was deep and unhurried, messy and slow, full of everything that had led up to this night, where you were finally taking this next step, where things became even more real. One hand braced beside your head, the other deep inside you between your trembling legs, dragging you closer to the edge with every slow, deliberate roll of his hips.
Your breath caught. He pulled back just slightly, resting his forehead against yours.
“I love you,” he murmured, barely audible, like it had slipped out before he could stop it.
“Love you too, big guy,” you whispered, smiling as you pulled him back down to you.
The porch light flickered on above you as the sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the worn steps. Joel stood just off-center in front of the door, fingers loosely laced, jaw tense, shoulders drawn up like he expected to be called into a principal’s office.
You watched him for a moment, the way his eyes kept scanning the darkening yard, how his foot tapped once, then twice. He was wearing that soft brown light jacket over the green flannel, the one you loved so much. His hair was smoothed back now, but you could still see the faint tousle where your fingers had been tangled in it less than an hour ago. There was something boyish about how nervous he looked.
You stepped in close and laid a hand flat against his chest.
“Hey,” you said gently. “You’re okay.”
His eyes finally met yours, soft and searching, and you offered him a small smile as your fingers smoothed out the front of his shirt, pressing down a wrinkle that wasn’t really there.
“You’re gonna be fine, Joel. It’s just dinner.”
“Do they know that I’m–?” he mumbled.
You leaned up, brushed your lips over his, cutting him off. It wasn’t hungry or rushed, just soft, sweet, and steady.
When you pulled back, your voice was quiet. “Relax. Like I said, they’re gonna love you.”
He exhaled through his nose, a little shaky, and gave a small nod. His hand came up to rest gently on your waist, thumb brushing over your hip like he needed the contact to stay grounded.
Then, behind you, the front door creaked open with a slow, familiar groan. You turned just enough to see the porch light glint off your dad’s glasses.
Joel straightened like he’d been caught doing something criminal. “Sir,” he greeted, stepping forward to shake your dad’s hand.
Your father was stone-faced, giving Joel a single nod as he returned the handshake. He stood in the doorway, quiet and watchful, eyes moving between the two of you without a word.
You swallowed, throat suddenly dry.
“Are they here!?” came a familiar voice from just inside. A second later, your mom popped her head around your dad’s shoulder, her hands clutching his arm. Her eyes lit up the second she saw you.
“There she is!” she squealed, practically barreling into you for a hug.
You let out a soft laugh as she wrapped her arms around you, warm and overwhelming in the best way. She pulled back just enough to hold you at arm’s length, eyes flicking over your face like she was making sure you were really here.
Then her gaze shifted.
“And you must be Joel!” she said brightly, stepping toward him with a big smile.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied politely.
“Oh, don’t call me that,” she waved him off, offering her name instead.
You caught the twitch of a smile on Joel’s face as he repeated it, his voice soft with that drawl you knew so well.
She reached out and placed her hands on his arms, eyes roaming over him with zero subtlety. “Well, aren’t you handsome,” she said with a wink.
“Mom…” you groaned under your breath.
“Come inside, you two. Dinner’s nearly ready.”
Joel glanced at you, his jaw tight but his eyes softer now. There was still a flicker of nerves there, but beneath it was something quieter. Maybe even grateful. Like he couldn’t quite believe he got to be standing here, hand still warm from your dad’s handshake, your mom’s voice ringing with welcome, your hand just a breath away from his.
You offered him a small smile, one he returned without thinking, and the two of you stepped inside together.
You leaned up to kiss your dad’s cheek as you passed, and he returned it gently, one hand settling on your arm in a quiet, welcoming squeeze.
“So,” your dad’s voice carried from the head of the table, “what is it you do, Joe?”
“It’s Joel, dad.”
Your father raised his eyebrows like he hadn’t noticed the correction, even though he absolutely had.
“I own Miller Contractin’,” Joel said, calm and steady. “We build houses, do commercial work, though mostly stick to residential these days. All across the county.”
Your dad nodded, still not looking up from his plate, chewing a little harder than usual. “Miller Contracting… That just you, or you got a crew?”
“My brother and I are partners, we got a good crew of guys.”
“Hmm.”
A long sip of iced tea later, your dad’s voice pipes up again: “What kinda permits you gotta pull for that subdivision on the west side?”
You blinked. “Dad—”
Joel didn’t miss a beat. “Depends on the parcel. New builds gotta go through the county first, then the town for inspection sign-off. If it’s remodels or additions, we skip the land survey.”
Your dad finally looked up, eyes narrowing. “And your license number?”
Joel raised an eyebrow right back. “You wanna write it down?”
That earned a chuckle from your brother across the table, who quickly masked it with a bite of roll.
Your dad gave a grunt that could’ve meant anything, then pointed his fork across the table. “You hunt?”
“Not in a while,” Joel said. “Used to. Mostly just keep a few rifles around now, in case somethin’ needs shootin’.”
Another nod.
Then, after a long pause, your dad took another bite and mumbled around his food, “Built that deck out back myself, y’know. Back in ’98.”
“Yeah, when I was 8 months pregnant and bout ready to burst from stress,” your mom quipped with a little scoff.
Joel, bless him, didn’t so much as smirk. “It’s a good build. Still holdin’ up well.”
Your dad’s fork hovered in the air, then he gave a small, barely-there nod like Joel had just passed some pop quiz of his.
You finally started to relax until he opened his mouth again.
“One last question, Joel,” your dad said casually, sawing through his steak.
Joel’s shoulders tensed slightly. “Yessir.”
Your dad glanced across the table. His eyes flicked to your neck, then to Joel. Then back to you. With his knife, he gestured loosely toward your collarbone.
“That a hickey on my daughter’s neck?”
You nearly choked on your water.
Joel froze, fork halfway to his mouth.
There was a beat of stunned silence before your mom smacked your dad’s arm.
“David.”
“What?” he asked, feigning innocence, still chewing.
Joel cleared his throat. Loudly. “I—uh—must be… a-a nasty bug bite or somethin’.”
You stared down at your plate, cheeks on fire, absolutely refusing to make eye contact with anyone.
Your dad just grinned around another bite, like he’d just scored the winning point in a game no one else knew they were playing.
Later, the two of you ended up shoulder to shoulder in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, trading off dishes and bumping hips as you loaded the dishwasher and tackled the giant roasting pan your mom had insisted was “vintage, not ancient.”
Joel rinsed a plate, set it in the rack, and glanced at you with a sly grin. “You always this bossy with kitchen duty?”
You shot him a look over your shoulder. “I’m not bossy. I’m efficient.”
“You barely let me step up to the sink before you were shovin’ the dryin’ rag in my hand.”
“I did not.”
“Reckon ya did, sweetheart. And to think I’m just tryna be a good guest.”
You laughed, nudging him with your hip. “I just know where our strengths and weaknesses lie is all.”
“Uh-huh.” He held up the rag and dish in hand dramatically. “Well, I’m puttin’ it on my résumé.”
“Oh yeah? Skills: contracting, firearm safety, surviving dad interrogation, and above-average dish drying?”
He turned to you, eyes playful. “You forgot exceptional boyfriend.”
You pretended to think about it. “Jury’s still out.”
He gave you a mock glare. “Keep talkin’ like that and you’re gettin’ another one of them hickeys on your neck. Right on the other side. Bet your dad would love that.”
Your eyes widened. “Joel.”
“Symmetry,” he said with a shrug, like it was the most reasonable explanation in the world.
Joel stepped back from the counter, towel still in hand, and playfully flicked it toward your backside. You squealed, swatting at him with your sudsy hand, and nearly bumped into the oven.
You were both laughing when the kitchen door creaked open and your dad leaned inside.
Joel straightened like he’d been caught red-handed again, shoulders stiff.
Your dad gave a long look at the two of you, then cleared his throat. “Joel.”
“Yes, sir?”
“You drink beer?”
Joel blinked. “Sure do.”
Your dad nodded once, like he’d already made the decision before asking. “Come out on the porch. I got a few in the cooler.”
Joel shot you a quick look, like he was trying to read if this was good or bad.
You just smiled and mouthed, go.
He followed your dad out, wiping his hands on a dish towel as he went. You watched him go with a little flutter in your chest.
“Oh,” a sudden thought crossed your mind, “daddy?”
Both men turned.
“Yeah, baby?”
“Yes, honey?”
The silence that followed was crippling.
Joel went stiff as a board, like he’d just realized he’d stepped off a cliff and was waiting for gravity to finish the job. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. He looked between you and your dad with eyes wide as saucers, face draining of color.
Your dad was staring at him. Hard.
You turned crimson, choking on air. “I—I was just... I was gonna ask if you wanted some—Mom said there was pie for dessert. Or maybe it was cheesecake? I don’t–I don’t know. Actually, let me go ask her.”
You slapped the sponge onto the counter and bolted, eyes on the floor, muttering something that might’ve been English as you fled the kitchen.
You sat curled into the corner of the couch, a slice of pie balanced on your lap and your second glass of wine halfway gone. The living room was dim, lit mostly by the lamp beside your mom’s armchair and the soft flicker from the TV, playing some home renovation show you weren’t really watching.
Your mom leaned back, swirling her wine. “So… he’s cute.”
You smiled behind your fork. “Mmhm.”
“And polite. Little stiff.”
“He was a little nervous. Bein’...” you shrugged, “You know, same age as you guys and all.”
Your mom raised her eyebrows, taking another sip from her glass. “Please. Age is but a number these days. The amount of older men I dated when I was your age…” she chuckled to herself at the memories.
You snorted, shaking your head as you scooped another bite of pie, the quiet of the house settling in around you like a blanket.
She tilted her head, watching you with that knowing, mom-look. “He seems like a good man, honey.”
“He is,” you said softly, nodding.
Your mom’s gaze softened as she looked at you over the rim of her glass. “I see the way he looks at you. The way you two laugh together. It's nice… seeing you like this.”
You felt your smile pull a little deeper, the warmth in your cheeks not just from the wine. “Yeah,” you murmured. “It feels nice, too.”
The moment settled between you, quiet and soft until your thoughts drifted to the porch. You tried not to let your mind wander, but it crept in anyway. Whatever conversation Joel and your dad were having out there… you hadn’t wanted to hear it. After the fiasco in the kitchen you just hoped he was alive. But then you heard the back door open, the low rumble of Joel’s voice, and your dad laughing about something involving backyard irrigation, you knew whatever happened, it hadn’t gone badly.
Joel and your dad stepped into the living room, their voices trailing off mid-conversation.
“—and I told him if he tried to DIY those stone steps without checking the grading, he was gonna bust his ass in the first rain.”
Your dad huffed a laugh. “You’re not wrong. Maybe I’ll call your company in spring.”
Joel just gave a polite smile, his eyes finding yours immediately.
Your mom rose to her feet and crossed the room to kiss him on the cheek, then turned to wrap her arms around you. “Thank you for comin’ tonight. Come back anytime, you two.”
You smiled, hugging her tight. “We will.”
“You picked a good one,” she whispered in your ear, giving you a little squeeze before she headed toward the hallway, bidding you goodnight.
You turned just in time to see Joel and your dad shaking hands. It looked firm, respectful, less like a test this time and more like an understanding.
You crossed the room and kissed your father goodbye, and while he didn’t say much, his hand on your back lingered for a second longer than usual. That was about as close as you were gonna get to a blessing.
You and Joel walked out to the truck in the cool night air, his hand brushing your lower back, just enough to feel steady.
Once inside the cab, he pulled the door shut and let out a massive exhale, sinking into the seat like he’d just survived a firefight.
You grinned at him, cheeks warm from the wine and your heart even warmer.
“You did good tonight,” you said softly.
He looked at you like you’d just handed him a ribbon at the county fair. “Yeah?”
You nodded. “Really good. You survived my dad. Didn’t insult his deck. Kept it very buttoned up.”
He huffed a laugh, “It is a nice deck.”
You leaned your head back against the seat, looking at him through your lashes. “Kinda hot, actually. Watching you all nervous and respectable.”
He gave you a look. “Few times in there I wasn’t so sure. Thought he might shoot me right then and there when he asked about your neck. And don’t get me started on your stunt in the kitchen.”
You groaned and covered your face. “I didn’t meaaaan it.”
Joel chuckled, the sound soft and low as he reached over and gently tugged your hand away from your face. “Still nearly gave both me and your old man a heart attack.”
You grinned at him as he kissed your hand gently, one knuckle at a time, “But you’re my old man.”
He let out a breath, shaking his head as his smile tugged wide and helpless. “Jesus,” he muttered. “You’re gonna be the death of me, darlin’.”
You leaned in, bumping your nose against his. “Worth it.”
3K notes
·
View notes
Text


Outfits & a little snippet of my upcoming oneshot about dbf!Joel being reader’s date to her cousin’s wedding 🩵 currently at 10k+ words & they haven’t even kissed yet. Inspired by that fleabag quote where she says she wants someone to tell her what to eat, what to wear, etc. but I’m not telling more than that <3
41 notes
·
View notes
Text
Lowkey thinking about writing a Hungergames AU in which Joel mentors reader…………….or is this insane
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
I’m watching the walking dead because I never finished it but tell me why the zombies are so fucking goofy after having played tlou 😭😭😭 like there’s no way I wouldn’t survive in that show
#theyre just not scary sorry 😭😭😭#when does daddy Jeffrey Dean Morgan enter the show cause I need that man to severely fuck me up#mine
5 notes
·
View notes
Text
Joel making you change at the beach without wrapping a towel around yourself because his body is broad enough to cover yours completely. I need to be shot
#he’d get off on it so baaaaaad. your embarrassment. the fact that you’re still doing it just because he told you to#yeah I’m going to write this at some point#if u steal the idea you’re a meanie#mine
12 notes
·
View notes
Text
Who Will Love A Little Sparrow?



summary: Joel turns sixty.
warnings: girthy age gap (60 & mid 20s), Joel feels guilty about age gap, I cried while writing this, emotional fluff
note: it took one ask to convince me to actually write this lol hope you like it, anon! Title is from the Simon & Garfunkel song
Joel hasn't quite realized he's turning sixty – sure, he knows he looks it, feels it in his cracking joints, aching back and wheezing lungs, sees it in the stares the two of you get walking through Jackson hand in hand, but your company keeps him young. Three and a half decades between you will do that to a man.
He's never liked a big fuss on his birthday; even when he was half his age all the singing and balloons embarrassed him more than anything, so he didn't mention it was coming up during the weeks beforehand. You knew, of course, and so did Tommy, but he figured patrols would keep the two of you busy enough to prevent anything more than an extra kiss from you and a teasing comment from his brother – maybe birthday sex when you were done with your work for the day.
When he wakes up, it's his first thought, though not in excitement, but resignation. Sixty. The number feels like a chasm between the two of you. It makes him feel dirty for having touched you the night before, and he wishes humanity hadn't decided on the decimal numeral system.
You're scheduled for the morning patrol, so he doesn't expect you home before noon, which for the first time in his life feels like a relief. It gives him a couple of hours to bury the guilt about your age somewhere deep and secure, under vague childhood memories and the first thirteen decimals of Pi, where it won't come bubbling up while you're laughing your sunshine-laugh. He doesn't want to dim your spark, not when you seem to just have found it again.
He scuffles downstairs, dragging his feet as if he's turning ninety instead of sixty, just to wallow in his self-pity while nobody is around to see it. If he's lucky, he'll have two more decades, maybe even three, though that kind of hope is practically brazen.
He sighs, making his way over to the kitchen, thinking that if he makes his coffee strong enough, it might make him feel fifty again.
"Happy Birthday."
His head snaps up, and he's staring at you instead of his toes, your youthful face a little blotchy from the excitement.
"Here," you say, and thrust a cupcake in his direction. There is a single purple candle on it, and the frosting isn't draped across the dough in artful swirls the way they did it before the outbreak – still, it's the best cupcake he has ever seen.
"I couldn't fit sixty candles on this thing, so you get one."
Your smile is a little lopsided, a little too understanding, and Joel swallows.
"Thanks," he mutters quietly, staring at the blue part of the flame. "Geez."
"Blow it out," you say, "and make a wish."
He doesn't believe in that, but he obliges because you somehow found him a cupcake in the middle of the apocalypse at the crack of dawn.
"Now," you say, almost business-like, as if the first bullet point of one of your little lists has been crossed off, "I got Tommy and Maria to cover us on patrols today. What do you wanna do first, drink outrageously bitter coffee, or carve a wooden sparrow?"
He stares at you. You must have found the little bird he made during his many sleepless hours – he put it on the very top shelf in the living room where it wouldn't attract attention. It's not that he's embarrassed about it, he's just not sure it's a part of himself he wants to share with the world.
You put the cupcake on the kitchen counter and turn back around, that same knowing smile on your lips.
"I got you something," you say, and Joel frowns.
"You shouldn't trade for–"
"I didn't."
You hand him a small package, wrapped in some old newspaper you decorated with tiny, drawn-on hearts.
"Tommy said you used to wrap presents in colorful paper just to throw it away," you explain, that sense of wonder in your voice, as always when you talk about the before, "I didn't have paint, but I found a pen that works."
Joel stares at the package. He remembers the last birthday present he unwrapped perfectly, can see it catch the morning sunlight on his wrist.
"I–Geez," he just says, again, and starts to carefully peel away the newspaper without creasing your little artwork too much. His thumb traces one of the hearts. There is a hint of red inside the paper, and then he's holding something small.
"Where did you get this?", he asks, voice quiet with awe and something else that seems to thicken his throat.
"I found it in an abandoned raider's lair," you say softly, "I know I should have handed it to Maria, but I thought you could use it for your sparrow. Give him a face, you know, some feathers."
Joel traces the little cross on the Swiss army knife, and feels his chest tighten.
"Don't tell on me," you say teasingly, but with a hint of self-consciousness at his lack of a response. Joel swallows, and drags his eyes away from his present and to your face.
"Thank you," he says quietly, unsure of how to voice the thoughts rushing through his head, "I– thank you."
"Yeah," you say gently, "'course."
You accept his gratitude, understand what he means by it. You don't make a fuss with your un-swirly cupcake and single candle and no singing. All of a sudden, Joel feels his eyes prick and burn, and he rubs them quickly, wipes away the wetness. You touch his shoulder, make him look at you, and he clenches his jaw in embarrassment.
"Sorry," he mutters, "you just...know me so well."
There it is, your sunshine-smile, and you press a kiss to his naked chest, as high as you can reach.
"Sixty isn't that old, Joel. Don't even think about using it as an excuse to stop chopping firewood."
He chuckles and cups your face in one of his massive palms.
"No ma'am."
#Joel miller#Joel miller fluff#joel miller x y/n#joel miller x you#joel miller x reader#my writing#mine#tlou#tlou fanfiction#joel miller fanfiction#the last of us
1K notes
·
View notes
Note
WAIT PLs wRITE THE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE MAKING JOEL CRY THING YOU TALKED ABOUT
Your wish is my command
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
I just know Joel Miller loves small boobs 🩷🩷 his palms covering them fully would make his brain short circuit
29 notes
·
View notes
Text
Did Joel die in yesterday’s episode please I need to know so I can never watch it for as long as I live
8 notes
·
View notes
Text
Pedro and I watched Sinners at the exact same time I’m pretty sure….a sign……
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
*lightheaded with lust* yeah he's like a father to me
3K notes
·
View notes