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Aug 12

Ten Years Later

Joel Miller x Fem Reader

Word Count: 2.5k

Summary: You and Joel have been neighbors for ten years, and you've spent just as long insisting you can't stand each other. But after years of bickering, you start to realize that maybe your relationship isn't what either of you thought it was.

Content: swearing, mentions of age insecurity, drinking, minor car accident (no one was harmed), reader is in her 50s, Joel is in his 60s, fluff, arguing/bickering, enemies? to lovers, no use of y/n, no outbreak AU

A/N: MY FIRST FIC AHHHHH. I'm so excited to post this. I hope you like it! <3

The morning was quiet. Birds chirping, sun shining, wind blowing, but not too much.

You walked out to your front yard, hose in hand, ready to water your plants.

Across the street was your neighbor, Joel Miller, sitting on his porch. He had a newspaper in his hands, flipping from page to page as he read.

"Morning, Miller."

No response.

You rolled your eyes. Couldn't expect nothing much. You turned the faucet of your hose. Nothing.

"Not today..." You whispered to yourself.

Turning the faucet again, a weak sputter came from the nozzle, but no water came out.

"Come on!"

You crouched down, checking the connection from the hose to the faucet. It looked fine, but you tightened it anyway.

You turned it on again and this time the water shot out of the hose, right into your face.

With a scream, you dropped the hose, racing to the faucet to turn it off.

A loud chuckle was heard from across the street.

Soaked and angry, you glared at old man Miller laughing his ass off.

"You think this is funny?!" You yelled.

"A little."

"Joel!"

"Alright, alright. You need help? I think your hose needs some replacing."

"I'll be fine." Is all you said before storming into your house.

A while later you heard some noises coming from your front yard. You opened your curtain slightly. You sighed.

Of course he was fixing the faucet. He couldn't even help himself.

You closed the curtain.

Later that afternoon you went to water your plants again. This time with a hose that actually worked when you wanted it to.

"Does it work now?"

"You know, I could've done that myself."

"No, you really couldn't have."

He'd been doing this for years. Fixing things that you could've fixed your damn self.

It was condescending.

He was an asshole.

Always has been.

You could remember when it started like it was yesterday.

Ten years ago... you pulled up in the driveway of your new home, newly retired and wanting a change of scenery.

You noticed a man next door on his porch. He was looking right at you.

You waved. He failed to wave back. In fact he grunted and rolled his eyes at you. You ignored it.

After a while, you had finally gotten all the boxes out of the moving truck.

Footsteps came from behind you. The man from earlier walking towards you with a disapproving look on his face.

"Are you gonna move this truck?"

"Hello to you too."

"I asked you a question."

"What's the big deal?"

"Its blocking the street."

"Well, as you can see, I'm moving right now. So you're gonna have to deal with it."

"You're stubborn."

"You're impatient. The truck isn't moving anytime soon. Fucking deal with it."

He stared straight through your soul in disapproval.

"You know what. Fine. Imma help ya out."

"No the hell you aren't. I don't need any help."

"I don't care sweetheart."

And he started picking up boxes and carrying them into your new house.

Now you're 56, he's pushing 60 and you're still like this.

10 years later.

"So, ya gonna thank me or what?"

"Thank you? I didn't ask you to do nothin."

"Wow, I'm hurt."

"Suck it up."

You threw your hose on the ground.

"Bye, Miller."

A few days had passed. You were rushing out the house, late for a doctor's appointment. Grabbing your keys, you rushed out the door.

You sat in the car, putting the key in the ignition. But it just wouldn't start.

"Shit!"

The last thing you wanted to do was ask for help, but you had to do what you had to do.

You hesitantly knocked on the devil's door.

He answered, looking quite surprised to see you.

"Whatcha want?"

"Look, this is the last thing I want but I need a ride..."

"To where?"

"Doctors appointment."

"Fine. Give me a minute. Go ahead to the truck."

Well that was easier than you expected.

You walked up to the truck and waited for him to come out with his keys.

Both of you got in. He started the car and pulled off.

"Everything ok?"

"Yea."

"You sure?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I'm decent."

You chuckled. "Sure you are, cowboy."

"Aye, don't make me pull this car over."

"Don't you dare."

Silence filled the air for a moment.

"Its a regular appointment. I'm fine. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Yea..."

You had pulled up to your doctor's office.

"Do you want me to wait for you?"

"If you don't mind."

"Alright."

"See ya later."

He watched you disappear inside.

As he waited, his mine started to wander.

“What if I was the one who was holding your hand, always driving you to appointments, being concerned about you?” He thought to himself

A part of him wondered what that would be like...

"Come on, Joel" He said as he shook out of it.

Here you came walking out the office, getting back in the car.

"How'd it go?"

"Fine. Clean bill of health."

"Except for those hip problems."

You glared at him. "Says the one who can't lift shit without breaking his back."

"Whatever, girl."

He drove back home and pulled into his driveway.

Before getting out, you figured you'd rather be decent.

"Thanks alot, Joel."

"No problem."

You got out the truck and walked across the street back to your house and closed the door.

A couple nights later, you got home a little late from a friend's house.

You noticed Joel sitting on his porch. He usually didn't do that this late.

"Hey Joey..."

"Hey..."

You walked across the street to his house.

"Everything alright?"

"Yea."

"You sure?"

"I'm fine."

You took a seat next to him.

"You say that a lot y'know."

"It's usually true."

Then you noticed, there's a beer in his hand.

"Rough day?"

"Something like that."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Ok."

You tried thinking of something to say that would put him in good spirits.

"I got hit on today."

Joel chuckled. "Really?"

"Yea. Can't believe I still got it..."

"Well you're not that bad looking."

"For real?"

"Yea."

"Well neither are you." You said smiling up at him.

"Heh, thanks."

Both of you sat in silence, taking in the peacefulness of the moment.

You got up.

"Well, I should probably get inside. It's past my bedtime."

"Alright."

Before walking back across the street, you turned around.

"Joel?"

"Yea?"

"Don't drink too much."

He gives you a small smile.

"I won't, mother."

"Shut your mouth." You rolled your eyes playfully. "Goodnight, Joel."

"Goodnight."

He watched over you as you made your way inside before getting up, briefly staring at your house.

He didn't know why he'd started thinking about what it would be like if you weren't just his neighbor.

Some days later, you were reading a book curled up on your sofa. It was around midnight and usually you'd be asleep by now, but for some reason you couldn't.

That was when you heard a faint crash sound come from outside that you were surprised you could hear with your old ears.

Thank the lord you did because when you looked outside, you saw Joel's truck crashed into his mailbox.

"Oh my god." You said, panicked as you rushed outside to the truck.

"Joel!!!" Opening the car door, you saw him inside.

He looked wasted.

"Joel, what the fuck!" You unbuckled his seat belt.

"Hey darlin... whatcha panicking fo'?

He was wasted.

"Did you drive drunk?! What is wrong with you?! Of course I'm panicking!"

You helped him out the truck, walking him up the driveway to his front door. Thank goodness he told you where the spare key was.

You checked in the potted plant, pulling out the key from the soil.

The door unlocked and you dragged Joel inside.

"Jesus Chirst Joel." His place certainly wasn't the cleanest. "What's been going on?" You asked with genuine concern in your tone.

Joel, stone faced, didn't say a thing. He looked tired.

You lead him to his bedroom, laying him down on his bed and pulling the covers over him. He fell asleep shortly afterward.

"Poor thing..." A hand instinctively rubbed his cheek. You had to admit, as much as you hated him, he worried you. And you couldn't help but want the best for him, no matter how much you denied it.

"Goodnight Joel."

Going back outside, you pulled Joel's truck into the driveway. The damage hadn't looked too bad. It was a minor dent. You breathed a sigh of relief. Joel loved that damn truck.

The rest of the night, you had your sleeves rolled up conquering his house. You couldn't find it in you to leave Joel alone so you figured you might as well clean while you waited until morning.

You were laying on the couch, barely awake, when you heard footsteps coming from the hallway.

Joel stopped in his tracks when he saw the clean house and then looked over to you.

"What're you doing here?"

"Good morning to you too"

Then he remembered everything. The crash, his visit to the bar, her helping him.

"You didn't have to stay y'know?"

"I know."

"Then why did you? I would've been fine."

That set you off.

You chuckled bitterly. "You couldn't even fucking walk. You could barely get your damn shoes off. But yea, you would've been fine..."

He doesn't say anything.

"I had to get you inside. I put you to bed. I moved your truck. I washed your dishes. Took out your trash. Swept the floors."

"You didn't need to do any of that."

"I know that!" You paused for a second. "But somebody had to..."

"Nobody had to do anything."

"Why were you drinking like that, Joel?

"Because I can. I'm a grown ass man."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Give me some bullshit answer just because you don't want to talk to me."

Irritation came over him.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You crashed your truck into your goddamn mailbox, Joel."

"Ok, but I'm fine..."

"But what if you weren't?"

"But I am."

"That's not the point!"

You were struggling not to cry.

"You don't need to worry about me. I'm fine."

"I already worry about you. Because I care about you. You're infuriating but I still care." It scared you to say it, but it was the truth.

He grunts.

"Joel... do you need help?"

"No, I don't. Drop it."

"But-"

"I said drop it!"

That was your last straw. If he wanted to be a grump and stand his ground then so be it.

"Ya know what, Joel? I'm done."

"Fine."

"No, not fine."

You slipped your shoes on and grabbed your jacket.

"I'm done dealing with your attitude. You're grumpy and miserable. And you know what, I'm tired of dealing with ya. You can do shit yourself."

"Where ya goin?"

"Home." You slammed the door.

Over the next couple of days, you said not a word to each other. And you had to admit, it was harder than you expected.

His absence brought a sense of emptiness in you.

You missed the petty arguments. His laugh.The way he'd always help you. How he cared more than he let on. That handsome face-

Ok, too far.

You missed him.

And secretly, Joel was missing you like hell too.

You happened to be out watering your plants with your hose. The hose Joel had fixed for you.

Then, like he did every morning, Joel walked out on his porch with the paper and a coffee. He sat down and then his eyes met yours.

Both of you looked at eachother with longing and regret. Words that shouldn't have been said and some that should've. The past few days had been torture and you knew it.

You sighed.

"Joel..."

His eyes widened as he looked at you.

"Are you gonna tell me what happened or are ya still gonna be stubborn as hell?"

He didn't answer.

"I'm asking why you drank so much, knowing you had to get behind the wheel? You know damn well you could've killed yourself that night."

"I don't know..."

"Look... I get it. It's embarrassing. But... you could've given me a call, y'know..."

"I didn't want to bother you..."

"Bother me? You're not a bother, Joel. You needed help. It's ok to ask."

"I'm struggling. I didn't know what to do."

"About what?"

"Getting old. It feels like everyone else is doing something with their lives. I lack purpose. Sometimes I wake up and wonder where the hell the last ten years went."

"Ten years?"

"Since you-"

"Since I moved in... You remember?"

"Course I remember."

That's when you realized that under that tough skin sat a man who cared more than he let on. One with a soft soul.

"Come here old man."

He hurried and walked across the street into your arms. It warmed your heart. You damn near started crying. So did he.

"Hey..."

He looked at you.

"Sometimes I deal with the same thing. I feel like everyone our age has a lover or kids and grandkids. I feel... stuck. But it'll be ok, Joey. Life is a bitch sometimes, but you gotta fight like hell."

"I know... I'm sorry."

"It's ok." You smiled.

Then it crossed your mind. How much you really wanted this man. How stupid it really was between the two of you.

"We're too old for this shit, Joe."

"What?"

You gestured between the two of you.

"Whatever we have between us. Pretending like we don't care when we do. Fighting over every damn thing. Hell, we went days without speaking because we wanted to be stubborn.

Your voice softened. "We've been doing this for ten years, Joel... I think that's more than enough. I'm tired."

"So am I."

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, Joel..."

"Me neither."

You giggled. "We're idiots."

He chuckled along with you. "We are."

"We've wasted ten years."

"Hey... we still got time."

You caressed his cheek, looking into his eyes and coming in closer.

He closed in the rest of the distance and your lips joined in a deep, emotional kiss.

You rested your forehead against his.

"You're still an asshole."

"Yea? Well, you're still stubborn as ever."

"I love you, Joel."

"Love you too."

A few months had passed since you had made it official with Joel. You sat on his porch with a tea and his sweater on you. He walked out with his coffee and sat next to you. You rested your head on his shoulder as you talked and laughed.

"Hey, when are you two getting married?" A passing neighbor asked.

"We aren't!" Both of you said together.

The neighbor chuckled and continued on their way.

"You don't wanna get married?"

"Course I do. You're literally the love of my life. But that's none of their business.”

"Atta girl." He kissed your cheek.

#joel miller #joel miller x reader #joel miller x f reader #the last of us #pedro pascal #tlou #joel miller fanfiction #tlou fanfiction

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