we can always pretend it was a really really bad dream 🥺 and daddy!joel is there to give us some comfort when we wake up.
yes! yes! that's perfect bb ♥️
ddlg below...
"Petal?" He felt you kicking his legs. "What's goin' on?" He opens his eyes and looks down to see your face scrunched up and eyes closed. And there are tears in your eyes!
"Petal... come on, baby, wake up." He shakes your shoulders lightly. When you don't wake up and instead let out a little whimper, he sits up and flicks on the small bedside light. "Petal..." he shakes a bit harder. "It's just a dream. Just a dream..."
You wake with a jolt, sitting up quickly. "What- I saw-" You come to your senses, seeing the familiar bedroom around you and not the cold floor where you thought you were.
"You were having a bad dream." Joel scooted over and brushed your arm gently.
"I thought it- it was you, daddy. They were hurting you! It was you and I-" You wipe away the tears as new ones take their place. "It was so terrible."
"Oh dear...Can-can I hold you, petal?"
"Mhm" You fall gratefully back into his arms. Joel felt a few tears on his bare chest.
"Tell me what you're feeling." Joel coaxes you gently.
"I felt so scared and I thought you weren't coming back!" You blubber.
"That's sounds so scary." Joel nodded, closing his eyes. He could only imagine if it were the other way around. He would fight to get to you but what if he couldn't? "You're safe... we're safe." He rocked you slightly in an effort to comfort both of you.
You breathe the familiar scent of his shampoo, the sheets. Your feet feel toasty under the covers. You were safe. You were safe. You tried to breathe but you still felt like it was caught in your throat.
"Feel daddy." You take daddy's big hand and place it over your racing heart.
"You're heart still racing." Joel felt his heart ache a little more. "Must'a been a real vivid dream, petal."
"But I don't wanna dream about that!"
"I know... We can't choose our dreams or our nightmares. It don't mean anything bad about you." After another moment of rocking "I wish I knew how to stop 'em. Daddy gets them too from time to time."
"Bad dreams?" You peer up at him. Finally calming a little.
"Mhm...dreams about losing you. 'Bout not being a good enough daddy for ya." Joel confesses. He doesn't think he's really opened up to you like this. When you're like this. He just felt like you needed to hear it right now.
Now you're really baffled sitting up and staring at your daddy's handsome face. You cup his scruffy cheek. "But das not true. You're perfect daddy!"
"I know it's silly but it still pops up every once and a while." Joel smiles. "Like I said we can't always control what we dream. But I promise to always be here to chase the bad dreams away."
"Me too daddy!" you nod emphatically feeling warm inside from his promise. You lay back down against his chest and try to relax.
"There ya go, petal. Just breathe with daddy. And with every breath imagine all those memories sliding down your head to your feet... and then gone..." With each breath joel rubbed your back as if to mimic the movement of the bad thoughts getting pushed away.
After a few minutes of this intentional breathing...
"Now do you think you can go back to sleep?" Joel brushes the last stray tear from your eyes before kissing the tip of your nose.
"I dunno..." You frown. "I'm worried i'll dream that again"
"Why don't we put on a story until you fall asleep?"
He pops one earbud in your ear and the other in his own and chooses an audiobook. One of your favorites that you've heard a million times. He situates you on his chest with your stuffie and flicks off the light.
THIS IS THE POLICE. YOU'RE UNDER ARREST FOR BEING THE ABSOLUTE CUTEST 💙👮🏻♀️ FORWARD THIS TO PEOPLE WHO YOU THINK SHOULD BELONG IN JAIL FOR BEING SO CUTE.
daddy abbot definitely gives his little check ups but he’s so sweet and soft about it, lots of praise and smiles🤭
Ahh I have so many ideas. Omg I imagine that he meets you when you come to the ED for something like a sprained wrist. He splints your wrist with his beefy gentle hands
Warning ddlg inside
“You got someone to watch after you, honey?”
“Oh I’ll manage.” You squeak.
“Gonna be hard with this arm outta commission.” He frowns, taking a moment to hold your splitter arm, to keep touching you a bit longer.
You don’t say anything. He writes his number in your discharge paper saying to call if you needed anything, feeling foolish. He assumed that would be the last time he saw your pretty face.
Then one day when he’s just about to head home from work he gets a call.
“Hi Dr Abbot? I- I need some help I didn’t know who to call!”
And he comes running. Maybe you’re little when he finds you.
“It hurtie !” You’re crying. You over did it trying to cook yourself dinner and the split casting fell apart.
“Oh dear let me see. Aww it’s okay, honey. I got ya.”
“I s-sorry”
“You did the right thing, baby. You called me and now I’m here to make it all better.” He lets you cuddle into his strong chest as he carefully examine your wrist.
He re casts it and “look what I have. For being the best most perfect patient.” Pulls out a shiny glittery sticker. He always has a stash in case Peds traumas or patient’s kids come in.
“Now let’s order something yummy. What do you like babygirl? You can have anything you want. My treat!”
If you aren't taking requests it's otay but I'd REALLY love to read one of daddy Joel getting us ready for bed. Bottle, changing into pjs, story and tucking in pwease!!!!!!
ahhh bb you inspired me!! I loved imagining this one.
warnings: ddlg, little!reader, jackson Joel, sucking on daddy fingies
Joel and your house in Jackson was small, one bedroom, so you sleep in daddy's bed with him. You were very needy so even if you could have your own room you'd still want to be in daddy's bed.
Joel would play some guitar to wind down at night and you'd sing along until you were rubbing your eyes.
"Ready for bed, petal?" He'd stop playing with a small smile. You were just too cute.
"No wan one more song." You'd protest even through a big yawn.
"Mmmm I think it's time for bed." Joel would respond, and you knew not to argue with daddy. "Come on, little one." He'd take your hand and lead you into the bedroom. "Up." He'd instruct helping you take off your clothes of the day and slip into one of his shirts. Your PJs is one of Joel's t-shirts. He asked you many times if you wanted a nicer set but you always said no. You liked how it smelled like him and how it made you feel safe.
"Thankie daddy." You'd hug his middle.
"My pleasure, petal." He'd hum. He sits you on his lap next and gently brushes your hair. Depending on if you showered or not sometimes it would take a long time to get all the tangles out. He could feel the tension leaving his body with every pass through your hair. He'd sometime go for a few minutes longer than necessary just to relax some more. He feels you slump against him as you get more sleepy.
"mmm such a good girl." He kisses your head.
He has to lift you up to the top of the bed because you're so sleepy. You blink slowly taking, basking in his loving touches. He tucks you into bed with april next to you. The sheets were an off white and a bit scratchy but they were heaven compared to a hard ground he was used to. The blanket was wool and a bit scratchy. Joel was going to get a softer one once it got a little cooler, something that suited you more.
He usually sits on the edge of the bed until you fall asleep, singing or telling stories. Tonight you do something unexpected and start sucking on your fingers for comfort.
"What are you doing, silly girl?" Joel gently pulls your fingers from your mouth.
"Wan somefing." You mumble. You wanted something to comfort you as you drifted off.
Joel didn't have any bottles. He'd have to trade for one without drawing too much attention. So that night he gave you his fingers to suckle on until you were drifting off to sleep. You held his big hand with your two small ones. It wasn't arousing but more endearing. You were so so little and precious and beautiful and strong. Joel felt an intense urge to curl around you so nothing could ever hurt you.
"Hush little baby don't you cry. Daddy's gonna sing you a lullaby..." He found himself singing low in his chest.
"Sweet dreams, my petal." He whispered as your lips slackened around his fingers. "Daddy's gonna get you everything you need."
He slowly stood up and started changing into his pajamas, every now and then looking back at you to make sure you were still asleep. As soon as he slid under the blanket you twisted around him like a baby koala.
Joel thoughts… What about Petal had a close encounter with an infected while little (Joel of course gets them out of it) and ever since then Petal has been scared to be little cause she feels guilty for putting her and Joel at risk so Joel is trying to coax her into little space and make her feel safe. 💝
noooo dis has me so so emo 😢 (thanks for ur patience bb). i hope you likie 💕
Close l Joel Miller x fem!Reader
Warnings: DDLG, scary situation, angy joel, angst and comfort, talk about littlespace
It was supposed to be safe, damnit. He had scouted this trail a few days ago to make sure there were no infected. The area around the meadow seemed quiet and secluded. Close enough to the border that the town took turns checking. It was sunny and all the wild flowers were in bloom. You were so excited to finally get out.
He should never have taken you there.
It was perfect for a moment. The sun lighting up every corner of the meadow and you had brought him a flower crown. You were in littlespace, not paying attention. Fuck, he wasn't paying attention. And that's when they came. Out of nowhere. Two of them. Running across the field, their horrible faces pointed right at you.
"Petal!" He had dropped everything and ran to you. He dropped his gun. What the hell was he thinking.
"Daddy!" Your wide smile now a wide scream as you met him halfway. You cling onto him and refuse to move.
"Come on, baby girl." He grabs you by the shoulders and tries to pull you back towards where his gun is lying under the shade of the tree. "We gotta run. Come on!"
"Daddy!" You're too scared. Frozen to the spot. You're clawing at his t-shirt like you're trying to crawl inside. And the infected are getting closer. It's the first time in a long time that he's seen one so up close. You look behind your shoulder and shriek. He feels his panic rise.
"Fuck fuck." Joe grunts. He can hardly focus. His heartbeat is loud in his ears and there's this awful sensation that he's been here before. He heaves you over his shoulder and makes a run for it. He knows he has about a five seconds to grab his gun and making the shot.
Joel couldn't tell you how he managed it. Managed to shoot the two in pursuit. He blacked out. All he knew is that he couldn't get you to talk for a few minutes.
"Hey... hey... you're safe." He held you close to his chest, blinking back his own tears that bubbled up.
"Daddy... daddy..." was all you were whimpering. Like you were stuck.
Other folk nearby heard the shots and showed up. Joel told them what happened.
"But why are you out here any way?" One of them, Harper, demanded.
"I thought it was safe. I mean- we're less than one mile from the border."
"It's my fault." You finally spoke up quietly from behind his shoulder.
"No-" he frowned immediately.
"I wanted to come out here." You hugged yourself. Shame bubbled in your tummy. "I was stupid."
"Just..." Harper sighed. "I'm glad ya'll are okay. We can't let our guard down for anything."
Joel bit down his retort as Harper gave him a disappointed glance. Joel wasn't reckless with you. But it sure seemed that way. All the adrenaline made his hand shake as it reached for yours.
"Are you alright?" He asked and he knew it was a stupid question.
"I'm sorry." You whispered, fresh tears sliding down your face. You looked so... ashamed. The shine of trust and innocence missing from your eyes.
"None of that, petal." He squeezed your hand. "It was- if anything it was my fault. You trusted me to watch out for you when you- when you were playing and I fucked up. Shit-" His voice cracked and he had to look away to compose himself. He felt disgusted with himself..
You shook your head. "No, Joel. If it weren't for you I- I would have- I almost killed both of us."
Joel wanted to disagree but he doesn't. He just hugged you and leads you back into the safety of the town's perimeter.
You decide then and there that you'd never be little again. It was too dangerous. You'd never be able to live with yourself if something happened to Joel. You hated yourself for bringing up painful memories for him. He was trying to hide it but you could tell he was beating himself up for it.
Your plan worked pretty well for a couple days. You kept yourself busy and pretend you were fine. You knew Joel could tell something was up. You felt his concerned eyes follow you. And it made you even more angry at yourself because you didn't want him to have to worry about you. You were sure if you told him your resolution to not be little that he'd try to talk you down. But it wasn't up to him.
"Petal don'tcha want April in the bed?" Joel asks on the third day after finding April sitting on the scratched up book shelf in the sitting room.
"Not today." You smile tightly.
"Petal... this ain't like you. To leave April all lonely."
"It's a stuffed animal, Joel." You snap back, some of your frustration boiling over.
Joel looks hurt by this. It was more than that. You loved your stuffie.
"Hey now..." He frowns.
"Stop!" You clap your hands over your ears. "Stop suffocating me!" And you regret it the moment it leaves your mouth. Your resolve crumbles and you run into the bedroom to avoid your tears being seen. No. be strong. Don't be weak. You can't do this anymore. You curled up on the bed, holding your legs to your chest.
"Petal..." Joel stomps after you, his voice rising. "We don't talk to each other like that. Now you may not wanna be my-my little girl anymore-" He sucks in a breath "but goddamnit we need to stick together. Not turn on one another."
When you don't turn around he sits on the bed a foot away from you and rubs his face. You hate feeling like you can't be close to him. But you know if you were to feel him you'd instantly crumble.
"Talk to me, petal. Please, baby. It's safe." He puts a tentative hand on your knee.
"Not safe. Not. I have to be big." You shake your head. Your voice growing quiet and soft. Joel felt his heart breaking in his chest. He hated to see you punishing yourself as if you were trying to have some semblance of control over what happened. "It's my fault I couldn't-I couldn't-"
"You ran to me. You did the right thing." Joel scoots closer.
"But I should have run faster. I should have stayed closer." You lament, hot tears gathering in your eyes.
"Hey..." Joel gently turns your face with the crook of his finger. You're eyes are big and wide and looking up at him with so much trust. He feels all his frustration melt away.
"It's not all on you... We both let down our guard but that don't mean we should hide who we are." Joel says with conviction. "Believe me, petal. I did that and I never want to go back. I don't want to see that happen to you." He cleared his throat in an attempt to keep his own emotions bubbling up.
"I'm so scared, daddy." You cry, sitting up and crawling into his arms. Giving up the fight and taking the comfort you so needed since the incident.
"Shit..." Joel feels some tears fall from his eyes as he presses a kiss into your hair. "Me, too, baby. All the time. But I feel somethin' else too..."
You look up to hear his response. He takes your hand in his and presses it into his chest where his heart beats fiercely. "I feel love. That's why I was able to fight my way to you that day. See... what we have doesn't make us weaker. It make us stronger. Gives me the fire to keep on fightin'."
You sit with that for a moment while Joel slowly draws circles over your knee.
"I'm sorry, daddy." You sniffle. He kisses your head again.
"I'm sorry, too, petal. I'm sorry this happened." Joel curls into you further. He wasn't going to let this fucked up world win. He wasn't going to give way to despair and fear. Even though so much was out of his control... he wouldn't fail again.
"How about this... you come up with a codeword for daddy when you wanna be little outside the house and that way I know to keep an extra close eye on you."
My doctor recently doubled my dose of antidepressants and I’ve been having super vivid dreams bc of it well I had a dream that Joel was my daddy and he was the softest loving daddy but also didn’t play around when there were boundaries. I was being a little bratty and trying to bribe daddy Joel into letting me get what I want and he wasn’t having any of it. He was using his big stern daddy voice and everything.
Waking up from that dream was hard 😩
oh my goodness bb 🥺 dat sounds like such a wonderful dream. I love imagining daddy Joel as a bit stricter because we need that structure and guidance sometimes.
ddlg below...
"You know why you're in time-out, little miss, don't be tryin' to get out of it." He gently pushes you back into the time out stool.
"But daddy!!!!"
"Do I gotta add another minute to your time-out? That's what I thought..." His hand hovers over your hello kitty timer before he shuts the door behind him.
The timer goes off and he comes back into the room. You're sitting quietly with dried tear tracks down your face.
"Do you have something you wanna say to me?"
"I sorry daddy..."
"What are you sorry for?"
"I don't know..." You jut your chin out in a drop of defiance.
"I think you do, baby." He raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms. "We can stay here as long as it takes you to remember."
"...I sorry I didn't clean my room when-when you asked me."
"That's right. Thank you for apologizing. Now are you ready to clean your room now?"
"Yeah... huggie?" you lift your arms up hopefully.
hi friend!! i absolutely love your fics. especially the daddy/papi ones (i’ve read them all so many times!!!) would i be able to request some daddy joel little reader fluff please! 🤍🤍🤍
hehe me was talking bout dis idea with @littlebirdsbookshelf. Kinda angsty but ends soft and fluffy i pwomise. Takes place after encounter with the infected. I hope you wike i wrote all in one go!
Warnings: big emotions, ddlg, fem little
It was hard living in the QZ and being little. It was hard living in this fucked up world and still trying to be playful. Joel knew you sometimes let big emotions and fear come out when you were little. Things in the past that he couldn't change. He wished he could protect you from it all. Wish he could go back in time and make it right.
Violence was how many people around here coped. It wasn't unusual for someone to punch someone else in broad daylight or pull guns on each other. It was a tenuous peace among the residents. The latest attack near the border had everyone on edge. No more search parties for a week so rations were running low.
"We can't go baby I'm sorry." Joel tried to explain for the third time. He sat you down on the couch.
"But why?" you pouted. You woke up with your bag all ready to go for a sunday hike. It was something you looked forward to every week.
"They're not lettin' anyone out right now. It's not safe."
"pcuz of me" you clamped your eyes shut.
"No..." Joel frowned, rubbing your arm. "Because of those scary monsters."
To Joel's dismay you started crying and balling your fists up. He knew you wanted to scream in frustration but you were holding it in like a good girl. Like he told you. You can't scream anymore. Draws too much attention.
Joel knew this feeling too. When the weight of everything got too much and started to spill over. He used to take pills or drink the feeling away but he knew it wasn't healthy. One time he even punched a wall which gave him scars over his knuckles to this day. Eventually people just go numb from the anger. They walk around the QZ like zombies. Joel fears them more than the infected beyond the border.
"Are you angry?" Joel asked, feeling panic stir in his belly. You were having big girl emotions.
You nodded quickly. Having trouble keeping it all in you started pushing joel's chest weakly and head butting his chest. You were not trying to hurt him but trying to get your anger out. You pressed your lips together and exhaled hot air that felt like you were breathing fire.
"Here petal..." Joel looked around before grabbing pillow from behind you. "Here punch this, baby. Get all that anger outta ya."
"But- but pillow" You paused, not wanting to hit your comfort object.
"It's okay. Pillow can take it. Let pillow help you." Joel kissed the top of your head before guiding your fist to the soft pillow. It was a little flat from you carrying it around but it still absorbed the blow.
You gave it a weak hit, then another, then another. Pretty soon you were hitting it with as much strength as you could muster. You felt your frustration build but it felt kinda good. Hot tears landed on your fists as they hit the pillow. The pillow and lumpy couch cushion damped the sound into little thuds. Daddy joel's body made a safe coccoon where you could let all your emotions out. His arms bracketing you as you punched. You leaned forward till your head was almost touching his chest. Thump. Thump.
"That's it. Let all those big emotions out, baby." Joel whispered feeling his own tears sting his eyes. He wanted to do more but he just watched you keep going until you were panting.
You imagined all the scary things in the world and punching them one by one like daddy joel would do. You imagined punching through a thick door that was blocking you and daddy joel from the light.
"Come on, baby. Show daddy what you're feeling. Good girl." He urged you on. Proud of how you were letting yourself feel everything.
"Hmmf hmmf" You grunted with each punch. You were getting tired and as you got tired the sadness sunk in. This world was so mean. You looked up at daddy with tears still pooled in your eyes and melted under his warm empathetic gaze.
"Are you all done, petal? Oof-" He caught you as you jumped into his lap. "Aw it's okay. That was scary huh?"
"M-mhm" You were shaking a little.
He rubbed your back as you cried silently, hiccuping from being out of breath.
"I gotcha. You're safe. Ain't nothin gonna happen." He whispered into your hair.
"Da-daddy..." You croaked sniffing his t shirt. You looked up puckering for a kiss which joel happily bestowed. He kissed your lips then around your tear streaked face.
"Feel better?" He asked after a moment.
"Ya." You sigh. He rocks you in his arms until your breathing slows.
"I'm sorry we can't go hiking, petal. But I'm sure we can have fun exploring around here. We haven't done an i spy with stuff 'round here."
"Here is bo'ing." You sniffle. You pull pillow into your lap and stroke it as if trying to smooth out areas you punched.
"Oh it most certainly ain't." Joel chuckled. "Have you seen all the treasures around here. I'm sure I saw some old tea cups by the laundry. An i know you been wantin' to play tea time with april!"
"Der is?" You perk up, wiping your eyes.
"Mhm why don't we go find it, huh?" Joel suggests, his spirits lifting.
You get your hiking bag and trail snacks packed up like it was a regular hike. Joel wrote down a list for you to play i-spy. Even though it was only around the QZ it still was fun. And you did find some lightly chipped sky blue tea cups. Daddy washed them up for you and set it up like a real tea party!
"Daddy come." You point at the chair next to you.
"Why thank ya for invitin' daddy."
"Mhm daddy always welcome." You nod, pouring him some 'tea' (it was lemonade and honey that joel warmed up). You did a good job and didn't spill.
"Good job with that petal." he praised. "Well let's see here... i think we should start it off with a toast to you petal for being a brave girl and a smart girl findin' all the things on i-spy." He held up his cup.
"Fankie." You grin. "Thankie to daddy for letting me have big emotions and not be angy." You clinked glasses with him.
"I love that you have big emotions, petal." Joel smiled. "It's what's gonna save this messed up world I reckon."
