Prompt 3. “Let’s just stay here–I don’t ever want to move.” + 38. “Don’t act innocent, you had me pinned underneath you 5 minutes ago.”
Pairing : Joel Miller x (they/them) reader (No use of Y/n!)
Type : fluff :)
Contents: mutual pinning, (sort of) established relationship
Word count : 909
have a great day/night!! <3
this was incredibly rushed i am sorry in advance
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“Let’s just stay here - I don’t ever want to move.” Joel sighed, stretching his arms out before wrapping them back around you. He smiled as he heard you giggle, nuzzling his head back into your neck. The two of you laid in each other’s embrace, the soft morning light peering through the window.
“I’d love to stay here Joel but we need to get going today remember?” you informed, repeating his plan from last night. He wanted to go back to Jackson, possibly staying there permanently. He groaned, mumbling something under his breath before looking down at you, butterflies swarming and a fuzzy feeling running through you.
He leaned down, locking his lips with yours, feeling him smile against your lips just before. Your hands ran up and down his back, one ending up in his curls before you lightly tapped him, signalling it was time for the pair of you to get up and get ready for the day. You couldn’t blame him for wanting to stay here, not wanting to escape the moment as it felt like everything was back to normal - no outbreak or anything.
He pulled away to catch his breath, you trying to take the chance to get out of bed but he pulled you straight back down. His hands on your wrist tight, but not enough to hurt you. “Not yet.” he mumbled against your cheek, peppering your faces in kisses. He had moved, his hands either side of you as you laid under him, cheeks tinted red.
He continued, pressing his lips to yours again, completely blocking the rest of the world out. “Joel.” you whispered as you broke apart, trying to warn him as you heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He ignored your calls, continuing to press kisses to your face and neck making you bit your lip.
“Joel, quick, El-” you tried to warn, the man still ignoring the claims, too love drunk. It was only once the door handle rattled and the door opening that he quickly scurried off you, standing up off the bed and clearing his throat as he straightened out his clothes.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Ellie apologised, seeing you still lying in bed. “No, no, you didn’t, I was already awake.” you assured, flashing her a smile as you walked over, pulling her into a hug and pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. Joel grinned to himself as he watched the interaction, seeing how you basically treated her as your own child - it drove his thoughts wild.
Once you had pulled away, she turned to Joel, leaning against the door frame. “When are we leaving since you don’t seem to be ready for the time you said?” she asked, smirking as she saw him look at her in confusion. Joel glanced at the clock, internally swearing as he read 11:43 - they were meant to leave over half an hour ago.
“Well, we slept in as the alarm clock didn’t go off so let us get ready and we’ll get going once we’re done.” he shrugged nonchalantly, trying to compose himself as he knew Ellie had probably suspected something happened between the two of you and would definitely question him later. She nodded before disappearing off into another room, most likely the kitchen to grab a snack out of the supplies you had thankfully found yesterday.
You raised an eyebrow at Joel who looked straight back at you, pretending not to notice. You rolled your eyes at him, shaking your head. “Our alarm clock didn’t go off?” you retorted, giggling to yourself about his excuse. He put his hands up in surrender, shrugging it off. “I’m not lying.” he defended, pointing at the broken alarm clock on the chest of draws.
You walked past him and into the bathroom, sighing in relief as the shower worked properly. With every single step and move you took, you could feel his eyes on you, pretending to not notice him checking you out. Finishing up, a small smile formed on your face as you looked for the clothes you set on the side, knowing Joel had moved them - most likely trying to mess with you.
The flannel caught your eye, his favourite sat on the hanger on the back of the door; making you smile. You grabbed the shirt, finishing getting dressed before opening the little jewellery box that was sat on the side. Opening it up, you pulled out the necklace, fiddling with it to put it on before huffing, placing it on the side as you peaked out. “Joel?” you called, catching his attention instantly as he hummed in response.
“Can you help with my necklace?” you grimaced, the man getting up and walking in, his hands gripping your waist softly as you picked it back off the counter, handing it to him. He carefully took it out your hands, fumbling with it for a few seconds before clasping it, pressing a kiss to your temple.
You turned around, pecking his lips. “Thank you.” you whispered, wrapping your arms around his neck as his returned once again to your waist. “You’re welcome, darling.” he responded; his cheeks tinted red slightly as you smirked at the reaction. “Don’t act so innocent, you had me pinned underneath you like-” you teased, his hand on your mouth cutting you off.
Prompt 53. “Why won’t you admit it!” + 85. “I’ve seen how much you really care–don’t pretend like you don’t.”
Pairing : Joel Miller x (they/them) reader (No use of Y/n!)
Type : Tiny angst and fluff :)
Warnings : Age gap, swearing
Word count : 1k
have a great day/night!! <3
this was incredibly rushed i am sorry in advance
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“What do you mean they went outside by themself?” Joel asked, Ellie biting her cheek as she heard the mix of anger and concern in his voice. “They said they needed to go get something and that they’d be back. I’m sorry - they told me not to tell you.” she rambled, following Joel as he got up, putting his muddy boots on and standing back up.
“You stay here, do not even move out of this house until I’m back with them.” he instructed, the girl nodding as he walked out, Ellie immediately locking the door behind him. He jogged out of the drive, looking around for some sort of indication you were around but there was nothing. “Shit.” he grumbled under his breath, trying to think of where you could have gone.
A slight scream in the distance alerted him, his breath hitching as he ran over to the direction. He shot at the infected, giving you more time to run. When you got close enough, he shot the rest, pulling you behind him as he held a hand in front of you protectively.
Once he was sure they were all dead, he grabbed your hand, walking back to the house you were staying at, stopping when you were stood just outside the door in the drive. He didn’t say anything, pulling you into a hug which caught you off guard. “Don’t ever do that again.” he lectured; his voice muffled as he rested his head in the crook of your neck. “I’m sorry.” you apologised, rubbing your hand up and down his back.
When you both pulled away, he pressed a kiss to your temple before knocking on the door in the code you had taught Ellie. You waited a few minutes before she unlocked it, letting both of you in. “You’re okay!” she grinned, hugging you as you laughed softly, returning it. “You’re not stuck with just the old man yet, don’t worry.” you teased, looking up and Joel who rolled his eyes and smirked at you.
----
The next few days confused you; Joel was either ignoring you or he’d snap over any tiny thing you said or did. Ellie looked between the pair of adults, able to feel the tension and felt like she had to tip toe around. “Alright, what’s going on?” she huffed, tired of having to walk on eggshells around them constantly.
You had walked out a few minutes ago, going to get ready to sleep and having a quick shower. The pair of you needed to blow steam off after the argument you had (which he started). Ellie took the chance to sit with Joel, trying to find out what was wrong
“Nothing.” he shrugged, not even sending a glance in her direction. Ellie got up groaning, rubbing her forehead as she looked at the immature adults in front of her. “I’m going to go to bed now, you two need to sort out whatever is going on.” she warned, a slight red tint rushing to Joel’s cheeks as he knew she was right, annoyed she was giving him advice for once.
You walked back out, sitting back in your place as you looked around for Ellie. “Where did Ellie go?” you asked softly, scared he was going to snap in response. “She’s uh...gone to bed.” he responded, his leg bouncing slightly as he played with his hands.
He decided against Ellie’s advice, getting up and stretching, walking towards the stairs. “What’s going on with you?” you spat out, slightly regretting your tone of voice. “What do you mean?” he responded bluntly, turning and raising an eyebrow as his face hardened up. “You’ve been so...so different! You’re snapping over everything I do.” you huffed, turning to face him, trying to ignore the loud thump of your heart.
“I’ve got better stuff to do than this, this is the last of our concerns at the moment.” he said coldly, turning his back and starting to walk up the stairs. He tried to ignore the growing guilt in his stomach but he couldn’t help it. As much as he hated it, it was the only way he was able to supress the feelings he had. Joel had convinced himself that it wouldn’t be fair on you to act on his feelings, believing how you deserved someone better, someone more your age compared to him.
“I’ve seen how much you really care - don’t pretend like you don’t.” You raised your voice, the male stopping in his tracks. “Please, Joel.” you asked, your voice small and cracking slightly. You looked down at the ground, your vision misted and blurry. The only indicator that he was listening was the creak of the floor, signifying he was moving. The room went silent, making you assume he had walked away, your body now racking with sobs.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around you, pressing your head into his chest. “Why won’t you admit it!” you shouted, thankful it was muffled by him so it didn’t wake Ellie. He didn’t respond, comforting you as you got out your anger and sobs, the occasional punch to his chest but it didn’t hurt him. “Because I’m too scared.” he mumbled after a while, almost talking into the top of your head.
“I’m scared if I admit I care for you, that I... I love you, something will happen to you, and I’d never forgive myself. And I know it’s selfish, you deserve someone your age but I need you.” he confessed, his cheeks heating up as he pulled out the embrace, eyes on the ground as he refused to meet yours.
“Joel, look at me.” you breathed out, your stomach filled of butterflies as you tried to process the words, praying it wasn’t a hallucination. “Sweets, you don’t have to-” he started, getting cut off by your lips being pressed to his, your hand running through his salt and peppered hair.
The house was peaceful for once. Ellie was out with friends, Joel was sitting at the kitchen counter, fixing a new guitar he'd managed to find for Ellie while you were sat aimlessly staring into space, the TV in the background only on for a sense of comfort. Quietly, you admired the older male in front of you, noticing all the big or small features you'd noted many times. The way his face contorted when he was focused, his hand occasionally brushing through his salt and pepper curls, the little humming he'd do sometimes. You were so lost in thought, that you hadn't even realised Ellie had returned, a smug grin on her face as she noticed where your gaze lay.
"Whatcha doing?" she asked, a knowing look on her face, giggling as she saw the flustered expression settle on yours with a soft blush on your cheeks. "Just...thinking." you responded, clearing your throat as you brushed her off. She raised an eyebrow, going to say something before you nudged her side. "Not a word, kiddo." you mumbled, sending her a look as she laughed softly, nodding. "Secrets safe with me." she assured, a soft grin on her face as she looked over at him before back at you. What you had missed, with the lovestruck grin on Joel's face as he watched you interact with the girl he'd come to love like a daughter.
All these little games
You can call me by the name I gave you
Yesterday
"Ellie, be nice." you reminded before bursting into laughter with her, unable to hold it back as she called Joel a 'grumpy, old man'. He let out a huff, rubbing his face. "Alright, alright, go, just be safe." he grumbled, earning a grin from Ellie who thanked him before running off to see her girlfriend. "Grumpy, huh?" you teased, causing him to roll his eyes, a small grin on his face. "Stop it." he warned, his usual stern expression softening as he looked over at you, pulling you into his side softly. "She's not wrong, y'know." you teased, Joel groaning in response before he gently gave you a nudge. "I hate you." he jokingly responded, heading back into the house, and letting you run to catch up with him.
"Well you're not exactly a sunshine are you?"
----
Sleepily stumbling down the stairs to the kitchen, you tugged your blanket around you a bit tighter, letting out a small yawn. "Mornin' sunshine." Joel greeted, a smirk on his face as he chuckled in amusement, pulling you in for a brief hug. "Morning, grumps." you muttered, feeling Joel's chest rumble with his soothing chuckle. "Cold?" he asked softly, his fingers carefully running through your hair, caressing the back of your head. You let out a small hum of agreement, nuzzling into his chest.
"Sit down. I'll make your favourite hot chocolate."
Every minute counts
I don't wanna watch TV anymore
Can you figure me out?
Just doin' to waste more time on the couch
It felt like it had been hours since you, Joel and Ellie had sat down and started watching whatever old movies he had found in a random box in the attic, finding a way for the three of you to somehow kill some time. You were sat in the middle, with Joel on your left and Ellie on your right. The recliner was up, your legs on one half while Joels was on the other, but a small amount of space in between.
Throughout the movie, the gap between the two of you slowly gets smaller, with only a slither of space in between that stops you two from touching. As Ellie had gotten up to go to bed, you could see Joel's arm that was closest to you raise, your cheeks a light shade of red as you braced yourself for the contact that never came. But you were right. He was going to put it around you, but he backed out last second, silently cursing himself as he saw the disappointed look on your face.
Can you see me? I'm waiting for the right time
I can't read you, but if you want, the pleasure's all mine
The pair of you were riding back in from patrol, laughing at a corny dad joke he had said. "God, you've been spending too much time with Ellie." you teased, earning a chuckle and an amused look from the older male, sending his usual smile to you. "My jokes are better than those puns." he joked, both of you knowing that really, even though he'd never verbally admit it, he did sometimes approve of Ellie's puns - even if they did come from that shitty book.
He helped you off your horse, making sure to put both of them back into the stables and shut them properly before walking back over to you. "You alright? You look like you have something on your mind." he asked, his stern demeanour melting away and his face now soft as the concern was evident in his voice. "I...uh..." you responded, clearing your throat as you tried to think of an excuse.
"Hey, whatever it is, you can tell me." he assured seriously, his hand finding yours and intertwining, squeezing comfortingly. He ran his thumb along your hand soothingly, trying to help you as much as he could for now. "I was wondering-" you started, but was interrupted by a voice calling out to Joel. "Joel! Tommy said he needs your help, like urgently!" Ellie shouted out, jogging over to the pair, not noticing you sighing in defeat.
Joel shot you an apologetic look as he nodded at Ellie. "We can talk about this later?" he murmured softly, the sadness in his eyes clear. "Don't worry about it." you brushed off, a slight bitterness in your tone which caused him to quietly wince but nod regardless. He looked at you one last time before he quickly headed off to Tommy's house, Ellie looked between you two confused. "...Did I interrupt something?" she asked, a slight look of remorse on her face, sighing as she watched you start to walk back to the house, running to catch up.
Can you see me using everything to hold back?
I guess this could be worse
Walkin' out the door with your bags
"Are you sure about this?" you sighed softly, the worry clear in your expression as you leaned against the doorframe, watching him pack. Joel had agreed to go out for a few days with Tommy, in an attempt to find any extra supplies that could be helpful. "Hey, we'll be fine. I'll be back before you know it." Joel tried to assure, unable to ignore the small feeling in his gut that always gave him 'What if' scenarios he'd tried to learn to ignore.
"I know, I just..." you sighed, moving in slightly. "I'm just scared something might happen, y'know?" you admitted, slightly hesitant of what his response would be, unsure of how he'd react. He shot you a small smile before pulling you into a gentle hug. It was hard for either of you to miss how perfectly your bodies fit together, your head tucked into his chest as his head rested atop yours, gently swaying.
"I'll always come home to you. You know that."
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Pour your glass of wine
Mitchell told me I should be just fine
Cases under the bed
Spill it open, let it rush to my head
Ellie was out with friends, leaving just you and Joel at home. He'd managed to find a bottle of wine you both loved (he didn't find it, Tommy got it from the bar in Jackson for him) and the two of you were going to have a relaxing night in. You were rummaging through a box of vinyls that you'd managed to collect throughout the years from patrols or when you and Joel had been exploring in previous years, settling on "A case of you".
Joel had finished pouring the two glasses of wine, watching you dance with an amused smile on his face as he took a gulp. You held a hand out, causing him to chuckle and shake his head. "No, no, I don't dance." he denied, taking another drink of his wine as you did the same. You kept grinning at him, not retreating your hand as you fluttered your eyelashes at him. He let out a defeated sigh, taking your hand and slow dancing with you, the usual tension filling the room. He could never say no to you.
I don't wanna be forward, I don't wanna cut corners
Savour this with everything I have inside of me
"I don't get it. Why don't you just tell her?" Ellie huffed, walking alongside Joel as they patrolled around the outside of Jackson. "I don't like them, Ellie." he tried to lie, hoping she'd think the tinted redness of his cheeks was due to the cold weather. "Oh come on! You're not fooling anyone with that. I can feel the tension-" she carried on, Joel's hand coming up and covering her mouth to not let her finish that sentence, giving her a look. Ellie sighed, pushing his hand away.
"Look, I'm just saying. It's clear you both have feelings, why don't you just be straightforward?" she huffed, kicking a rock as they made their way back to the gate. He let out an annoyed huff in response. "Because it's not that easy. They don't deserve to be stuck with someone like me. Now I don't want to hear a single word more about it." He ordered, a cold and unreadable look on his face to cover up with vulnerability he almost showed, storming ahead of Ellie. He wasn't ready to lose you yet.
I'm not the type to run, I know that we're having fun
But what's the rush? Kissing, then my cheeks are so flushed
Joel let out a slight huff in the mirror as he got dressed, regretting having agreed to go to the baby shower - but it was his brothers, after all. He had to. You walked in, Joel immediately admiring how you looked in your outfit, the colour suiting you. He loved it when you wore your favourite colour, you always looked good to him. "You okay?" you asked softly, bringing him out of his thoughts as he nodded, grunting as his tie kept annoying him. You didn't say a word - you didn't have to. You walked over, gently pushing his hands away and tying it for him. "We don't have to go if it's too much, Joel, I'm sure Tommy would understand." you suggested, frowning as you knew why it was bothering him, considering his late daughter.
"No, no, it's the least I could do." he mumbled, his arms subconsciously wrapping around your waist as yours wrapped around his neck. He rested his forehead against yours as he peered down at you, a small smile on your face. "Thank you." he whispered. He didn't say it often but he didn't need to. You knew. You knew how grateful he was for both you and Ellie, you knew how much he prioritised and thought about both of you, he made sure to show how important both of you were to him through actions, not being one to trust his words.
You bit your lip, trying to think of something to say back, both of you looking at each other with pure love in your eyes. You couldn't even comprehend what you were doing as you leaned in, your lips intertwining with his, a soft but passionate kiss being shared between the pair of you. All you could do was hope this wouldn't make things awkward.
Tell you how I felt
Sugar coated melting in your mouth
His eyes stayed on you the entire party, no matter what was happening. He stood with his brother, a small smile on his face as he watched you interact with other people at the party, especially Maria, Tommy's wife. His thoughts trailed, thinking about how life could be with you being his. You, him and Ellie being a family of three, with Tommy and Maria together along with their soon baby. He felt nostalgic, watching you interact with not only Ellie but the other children there, noting your parental nature.
A part of him wished he'd met you sooner, wondering what life would have been like if he'd met you before the outbreak, wondering if you'd get together, wondering if you'd treat Sarah how you treated Ellie. His brother didn't say anything but he could see what Ellie had been saying to him. She was right, it wasn't hard for anyone to see how enamoured the two of you were with each other.
Tommy chuckled to himself as he watched you wave at him, Joel waving back as he approached you, standing close to you as he made conversation. "You're right, kiddo." he hummed, standing next to Ellie who nodded, grinning. "Wanna bet when they'll finally get together?"
Pardon my emotions
I should probably keep it all to myself
Know you'd make fun of me
The kiss had been replaying in his mind all night, stopping him from being able to sleep as he sighed quietly, looking over at you next to him, taking in your sleeping form. You always looked ethereal to him, whether it was when you'd just woken up, hair all messy and in old pjs or you were dressed nice. The thought of confessing crossed his mind constantly but he just couldn't. A part of him wanted to do a sweet confession - take you out for dinner or something, bring you flowers and tell you how much you meant to him. But he just couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to do it. There were so many reasons in his head why it would be wrong. He was almost double your age. He wasn't good with his emotions as it was. You were such a light in his life - his sunshine - you didn't deserve someone as grumpy as him.
He let out a sigh, noticing you shivering from the cold air filling the house. Pulling you into him, he pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, taking in how peaceful you looked, chuckling as your 'sleeping' form nuzzled into him - he hadn't noticed you were awake. He continued, nuzzling into your neck, pressing some soft pecks against it. "One day, I promise." he mumbled, caressing the back of his head. You could've sworn you heard him whisper 'I love you' before his snores filled the room, but you shook it off, assuring yourself it was just you being tired.
Can you see me? I'm waiting for the right time
I can't read you, but if you want, the pleasure's all mine
Weeks passed, every day leaving you hoping for something - anything to happen. Nothing. He'd almost become more hesitant after the kiss, neither of you bringing it up to the other, almost silently agreeing that it never happened. Everything else continued as normal - the 'subtle' glances, the tension in the room, hell, even the constant almost crossing the line between lovers and friends but it never actually happened. You'd had enough of it when he spoke to you as if nothing was going on, deciding you'd confront him later on in the evening. You just hoped nothing would go wrong.
Can you see me using everything to hold back?
I guess this could be worse
Walkin' out the door with your bags
"Can we talk?" you asked quietly, sitting down on the sofa once Ellie had gone to bed. Unlike last time, there was clear space between the two of you, almost as if it would hurt if you made the slightest bit of contact. "What's up?" he asked nonchalantly, not looking away from the television to look at you. "The kiss the other week, Joel. We can't just pretend it didn't happen-" you started, running a hand through your hair in frustration. He still didn't look up, but his body clearly tensed as he heard you. "What about it?" he asked, his voice now unreadable. Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion as you looked at him, confused as to why he was suddenly being so shut off and cold towards you.
"What did it mean-" you started before he huffed, sitting up and looking at you, his face cold and stern. "It meant nothing." he responded, the room going quiet. You blinked a few times, registering what he had said. "...What?" you asked, not believing you had heard him properly, almost certain you had misheard his words. "It meant nothing." he repeated, biting his cheek as he lied to you, hands gripped in fists at his side.
And then it happened. He could see the disappointed look on your face, the heartbreak evident. His guilt only got worse as he saw your eyes well as you nodded, taking deep breaths as you got up. "Okay. Thanks for clearing that up." you responded, but he immediately noticed how small your voice was, how it wavered. He wanted to stand up, pull you into his arms, tell you he was lying. But to him? Pushing you away was the best idea. He zoned out as you said goodnight, his gut dropping as he saw the tears you thought you were hiding roll down your face as you walked off, leaving him alone in the living room. He slumped down in his armchair, head in his hands. What had he done?
Prompt 15 “this song reminds me of you.” + 42. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Pairing : Joel Miller x (she/her) reader (No use of Y/n)
Type : fluff!
Contents : Age gap, mutual feelings, grumpy x sunshine, swearing!
Word count : 1.6k
You're loved :)
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"Sooo..." Ellie spoke up, walking alongside Joel as you walked ahead of the pair, just out of earshot. He raised his eyebrow, not turning to face her and waiting for whatever comment to come out. "When are you going to tell her?" she asked, a smirk on her face as she watched in amusement, seeing his face change through multiple emotions. "Tell her what?" he asked, trying to stay calm as he gathered she was most likely just messing with him - after all, it wasn't that obvious was it?
"You like her!" she huffed, rolling her eyes at the male as he shook his head vigorously, coming out with excuses. "I absolutely do not, Ellie. She's closer to your age than she is to me!" he half lied. It was true, you were younger, but Joel was so oblivious to the constant hints you had sent. Unknown to you, she had picked up almost instantly, as well as Tommy who had agreed to help her plan in getting the pair of you together. "God, you are so stupid sometimes! She doesn’t care about age!" she groaned, scratching her forehead.
Joel bit his tongue as he looked ahead, his eyes settled on you. It was lightly snowing on your way back to Jackson, soft snowflakes falling. He watched as you looked around, taking in the scene around you. Despite the world having gone to shit, you still managed to find good in everything - perhaps that was the reason he kept you around. You saw the good in him, the side he couldn't even see himself anymore. He found comfort in you, seeking you out when he needed it the most. You listened to him and his doubts, always managing to assure him that he was doing the right thing and he was protecting you and Ellie. You told him how much you appreciated him daily. Showing him things he never thought he'd ever see again.
You had one of his spare coats on, your's currently being fixed by Maria as it got torn on the last patrol you and Joel took. It almost drowned you, due to Joel being bigger built but it kept you way warmer than your own did, making you thankful for the fence that had ripped it. "See! You're oogling at her!" Ellie pointed out, earning a frustrated groan that was loud enough for you to hear, evident as you turned out in concern, switching between the two. "Is everything okay?" you asked softly, Ellie smirking as he glared at her. A small smile was plastered on your face as you watched the pair of them act like children.
"It's fine sunshine, she was just telling me those stupid puns." he lied, glaring at the girl one more time before he carried on walking, now in front of you. "What did you do?" you asked, sighing as he only got into these moods when he was frustrated. She put her hands in the air, shrugging. "I'm innocent, he's just being a moody old man." she attacked, earning a snicker from you. "Don't be mean Ellie." you warned, a playful smile on your face as she grinned back, letting you pull her into a side hug. "Hurry up, unless you want to freeze out here!" Joel called, a stern look on his face.
"Coming!"
----
You walked into the room, immediately gasping as you set your eyes on the familiar piece in front of you. "Ellie!" you called, gaining the girl's attention. She gasped as well, watching as you opened the draw underneath, seeing the multiple types of vinyl. The labels on them had been worn away, leaving the band and songs on them a surprise. "Woah!" she whispered, pulling them out. "What'd you find?" Joel asked, still focusing on the food he was cooking in front of him. It wasn't a fancy meal, but it was enough to fill you all up for tonight until you got your next load of food. "Vinyl player." you breathed out, grinning at the male who hummed.
"How do you play it?" Ellie spoke up making you panic as you saw what she was doing, about to break it. "Hey, hey, hey, wait." you gushed, walking over and taking it out of her hands, placing it on properly as it played. "Dinner's ready." Joel announced, letting you take Ellie's arm and bringing her to the table to sit with you and him, leaving the music playing
----
"Come on, time for bed." you ushered, squeezing her arm. Unlike most nights, you knew you'd have no issue with persuading her tonight due to how tired she was from today - she was already practically asleep on your shoulder anyway. "I'll carry her up." Joel assured, already picking her up as you went to move, sending him a small smile. "Okay." you said softly, getting up and walking to the vinyl player to change the record.
He carefully carried Ellie up, making sure to avoid any creaks in the stairs he knew were there and pushed her bedroom door open with his foot. She had managed to make it her own since you and Joel had agreed on moving to Jackson permanently. The cracked walls were repainted with a blush red she had asked for, lights strung around as well as a pinboard, polaroid pictures pinned to it thanks to the camera Joel had managed to find on a patrol with Tommy one day.
"Joel?" she called softly as he pulled the covers over her, Ellie already having gotten changed into her pyjamas earlier. "Hm?" he responded, letting her know he had heard you. "Thank you." she stated, knowing she didn't have to expand and he would understand. He took a deep breath, kneeling beside her as he brushed the hair off of her face, illuminated by the lamp next to her bed. "It's okay." he mumbled, a weird feeling of nostalgia growing in his stomach as it reminded him of Sarah. He got up, reaching to turn the lamp off as they shared a smile. As he walked over to the door, ready to walk out she spoke up again. "I'm no longer cargo, right?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly causing him to feel guilty.
Ellie was similar to Joel in many ways - the one way you were able to point out was overthinking. It was a natural thing to do, all humans do it even you, but she rarely spoke up about it. She would decide to keep quiet than confront it and bottle it up. This was one of the very rare moments she'd let it show, especially since she was now slightly older. She was determined to be independent, to show she didn't need any help with anything, just to prove herself. "No, kiddo. You haven't been for ages. We see you as family." he comforted, trying his best to word it.
We. The word rang in her head, making her grin as she realised that not only was she sure Joel saw her as family but so did you. You saw her as part of your family. Her stomach filled with butterflies as well as a fuzzy feeling, getting rid of her doubts and certain she was where she belonged. "Now get some sleep, Kiddo." Joel told as she nodded before realising he couldn't see. "Goodnight Joel." she bid, snuggling up to the plush you had given her ages ago. "Goodnight baby girl." he smiled, pulling the door gently.
Carefully, he made his way down the stairs, coming back into the living room where you were still sitting. When you saw him, you gestured for him to sit next to you, his arm instinctively wrapping around you as you laid your head on his shoulder. The gentle, familiar tune filled the room as you smiled. "Dance with me." you questioned, looking up and feeling your cheeks heat up as you saw him already looking at you. His face changed; uncertainty obvious as he doubted the idea. "I don't know..." he sighed, looking at you as you stood up, frowning at him. He didn't say anything else, instead standing up and wrapping his arms around your waist as your arms were around his neck.
Your head was pressed against his chest as his head rested on top of yours, swaying you softly along to the song. "This song reminds me of you." you admitted, catching the man off guard. He thought to himself for a few minutes before responding. "How?" he asked, curious as to what to respond. You scoffed as if it was the most obvious thing ever. "Because I know you'd give up everything just to be me and El." you spoke up, answering as if it was easy. The comment put a smile on his face, making him happy that you were somewhat aware of the extent he'd go for you two - his girls (admittedly he'd go further than you probably think, but he wasn't going to tell you that).
His eyes welled up slightly as he thought how lucky he had gotten. It was a living hell, yet he'd found two people who didn't see him like the others. They didn't see the ruthless, cold-hearted killer that he'd lost his brother over for a bit. He was safe with you two like you were with him. Even though he was the protector, you two helped him feel safe from everything. Able to forget about the current state of the world when he was with you two, giving him a place to rest - like a sanctuary. "I don't know what I'd do without you," he admitted, seeing you had pulled away and wiped the tears he hadn't even noticed were falling. You rubbed his tears away with your thumbs, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
Prompt 6. “Oh my god, I’m in love with an adult man-child.” + 47. “Dance with me! C’mon, it’ll be fun!”
Pairing : Joel Miller x (they/them) reader (No use of Y/n!)
Type : fluff :)
Contents: established relationship, age gap, slightly canon divergent!!
Word count : 436
have a great day/night!! <3
i love joel miller (both of them)
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He opened the boxes, gasping as he saw the contents. You walked over, curious as to what was inside. Multiple vinyl’s, stacked upon each other. He picked one up, holding it to show Ellie who immediately grinned, taking it out of his hands and opening it before placing it on the record player. Joel started dancing, Ellie and you both stood watching, trying to contain your laughter.
“Oh my god, I’m in love with an adult man-child.” you gasped, Ellie grinning as Joel stopped looking offended. “How dare you.” he acted hurt, looking at the younger girl as it was probably one of the only times she’d see him be this laid back and somewhat relaxed. You nudged Ellie, sending her stumbling slightly in his direction as Joel smirked, grabbing her hand and forcing her to dance with him.
You left the pair be, heading into the kitchen and started the food. Looking through the cupboards, you find food still in date, opening the cans and pouring it into the pan and letting it cook. A few minutes passed before Ellie came in, leaning on the counter next to you. “Joel told me to come get you.” she informed, knowing what you were going to say. “I can cook food, I promise.” she assured, making you close your mouth as you nodded, heading back into the music filled room.
The song had changed, now a more slow-paced song. “Dance with me! C’mon, it’ll be fun!” Joel pleaded, holding his hand out. Sighing, you grabbed his hand, Joel smiling as he pulled you into his chest. His arms wrapped around you tightly, swaying the both of you side to side. “I wish we could stay here forever.” you whispered, Joel frowning slightly as he looked down, kissing the top of your head. “I do too, sweetheart. As long as I’m with you.” he assured, lifting your head up softly and intertwining your lips briefly.
He took your hand, twirling you around and smiling as you let out the laugh, he longed to hear every minute of the day. Ellie watched knowingly from the doorway, leaning on the frame and making sure she wasn’t too loud. She saw Joel’s eyes sparkle, something that hadn’t happened probably ever since she had known him, changing when he reunited with you. He looked over, meeting eyes with Ellie who sent him a small nod, informing him she approved. Despite the current state of the world, he would not have changed this moment for the world.
He had found where he belonged by complete accident, and he could never be more grateful.
Looking over, you saw Ellie already curled in her sleeping bag, sound asleep. "You should get some sleep." Joel spoke up, turning to face you, the only source of light is the soft glow of the lamp. "I'm not tired." you assured, moving slightly closer to him. Moments like this you seek throughout the day, a moment of peace and slight relaxation. You also got to spend some time with Joel. You loved Ellie but it was nice to have some time with him.
Joel had known you for a while before the outbreak, due to you being friends with his younger brother. The three of you had stuck together when the outbreak had struck before you met Tess. When she joined, it was the four of you before the brothers split, Tommy deciding he could no longer go ahead with the ruthless way. You had been the one who initially persuaded him to take Ellie when Marlene had asked, seeing that she needed someone and you didn't entirely trust Marlene anyway with your suspicions of the fireflies.
Ellie had trusted you almost immediately, finding comfort in you and seeing you as a parent figure in her life. Even though she never said it often, she was thankful for you. Without you, she didn't know where she would be and thanks to you, there was some sort of civilised behaviour between her and your grumpy partner.
----
"Him?" she spoke up as you walked along, Joel ahead as he navigated through the woods, finding the way to Jackson. You raised an eyebrow, not following along with what she was talking about initially. "You picked him to be your partner?" she said in disbelief, earning a chuckle from you. "Don't be so harsh Ellie. He does a lot for us." you vouched, Ellie sighing in defeat as she knew you were right. Despite the pair not seeing eye to eye, she saw how he never hesitated before protecting you and her, doing anything he could.
"But he's so grumpy!" she groaned, shaking her head at you. You looked over at him, speeding up slightly and making Ellie do the same. "He's not!" you argued, knowing she had a point but it wasn't entirely true. "Just give him time, he'll come around." you assured, frowning at her as she hummed. You knew she didn't mean the comments nastily and if you weren't close with him, he was hard to read. But you knew Joel, and you knew he would eventually come around to her.
----
You'd been sitting with him for an hour now, making small chat and resting. He looked at you, smirking as he saw you fighting sleep, almost giving in. "Go to bed, sweets." he pestered, you rolled your eyes playfully at him. "I'm not..." you started, interrupted by a yawn as he raised an eyebrow. "...tired." you sighed, accepting the defeat. He hummed, looking back at Ellie. Joel's body froze as he felt your head on his shoulder. Sure, you'd had physical touch with each other - hands brushing, he'd held your hands when teaching you how to shoot a gun - all of that. But he didn't miss the way his heart skipped or the slight rush to his cheeks - he wasn't used to it. "What are you doing?" he asked, clearing his throat to cover up his nerves.
"Using you as a pillow." you grinned, moving it back up to see a small smile on his face. Normally, Joel would tell someone to get off or shove them off already. But with how peaceful you looked and enjoying your company he found himself wanting to leave you there. "No, fine, you can use me as a pillow." he sighed, pretending to be annoyed about it. As you pressed your head back down on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around you protectively. You missed the look of affection he gave you, nothing but pure love in his eyes. Once he was sure you were asleep, he pressed a kiss to your forehead, wrapping both arms around you as you snuggled yourself into him. He made sure to leave the gun near enough for him to reach just in case.
"Sleep well, darlin'"
----
"Joel!" Ellie whispered, carefully shaking him. She had already been up and about to get dressed before she realised neither of you were even awake yet. It was around half an hour the time he had told her you were all going to leave. "Hm?" he mumbled, stretching his arms out. He looked down, seeing you still asleep in his arms. "What time is it?" he asked, grimacing as he heard the answer. "Go get dressed while I wake them." he instructed, seeing her nod. He smiled before he shook you lightly, waking you. "Sweetheart, come on." he whispered, seeing you look up at him.
"Morning, Joel." you yawned, nestling your head into his neck. He took in the moment, not wanting the move. "Can we not just stay here?" you huffed, earning a chuckle from him. He kissed the top of your head, tapping your side to move. "I know, but we need to get going." he sighed, helping you up. You wrapped your arms around him, stopping him from moving. "Just five more minutes." you bargained, enjoying the body heat and the safety you felt in his grip.
Prompt 25. “I think you need to tell me the truth about how you feel towards me.” + 36. “Don’t pretend that you don’t feel the same way.”
Pairing : Joel Miller x (they/them) reader (No use of Y/n!)
Type : small angst and fluff :)
Contents: mutual pinning, age gap, canon divergent!!
Word count : 916
have a great day/night!! <3
i love joel miller (both of them)
——————————
“What’s going on?” You asked, walking in and placing your hands on Ellie’s shoulders as you watched the two bicker. “Nothing.” Joel grumbled, sending a glare at Tess who scoffed. “You can’t be serious Joel.” Tessa scoffed, ignoring the fact you and Ellie were in the room. You looked between the two, seeing Joel’s face harden before turning to face you.
“Go into another room.” he informed, looking at you sternly before you nodded, tapping Ellie and bringing her into the spare room next door where you had all slept, the sleeping bags still laid out - apart from Tess’. The shouting and arguing increased, trying to assure Ellie it was okay as she gave worried looks towards you.
After five minutes or so, the shouting quietened down, footsteps approaching the door before heading back, your curiosity leading you to stand against it, pressing a finger to your lips to signal to Ellie to quiet down. The shouting picked up again but you could pick up some of the words. “What do you want me to say?” Joel huffed, his footsteps as he paced echoing.
Tess laughed sarcastically, shaking her head at the man stood opposite her. “To say no! To tell me that I’m wrong!” she explained, her voice lowering as she approached him, standing meters away. “Don’t pretend you don’t feel the same way.” Tess pleaded, reaching up to caress his cheek but Joel stopping her, grabbing her wrist softly before she could touch his face. The room went silent, Tess aware of his choice through his actions.
She nodded her head, licking her lips as she tried to hold in the tears, stopping her eyes from welling up. “Tess...” he sighed, following as she walked over and picked up her rucksack, taking her things with her. “No, Joel. I know your answer now. Goodbye.” she breathed out, opening the door and taking one last look at him. “Take Ellie to Tommy’s for me, if you have the tiniest bit of love for me still left.” she asked, taking a deep breath before shutting the door, walking away from the house.
You pushed the door open, creaking to tell Joel you were coming out. “Stay in here, just while he calms down.” you told Ellie, the girl nodding as she picked the guitar up, the door shutting behind you. Joel was sat on the sofa, his head in his hands, rubbing his face as he processed what had happened.
No words were exchanged at first as you sat down next to him, giving him time before interrogating. Looking around, you noticed the missing rucksack and shoes, guilt and fear settling in you. “She’s not coming back, is she?” you spoke up, Joel moving his head up to meet your eyes. “No. She’s...she’s left.” he mumbled, scratching his forehead.
“What happened?” you wondered, eyebrows furrowed in concern as thoughts and ideas ran through your head of the endless possibilities. “We uh...she pointed something out.” he tried to explain without giving it away, silently debating if he should say something now or leave it. Deciding not to push it, you hummed so he was aware you heard him before standing up and walking back over to the other room.
“If you need to talk to someone about it, come find me when you’re ready.” you assured, wishing he would stop you now and not let you in. Joel bit his lip, unsure of whether he should. He nodded before he could even stop it, his body betraying him as you reached for the door knob, opening the door. “Wait.” he called, staring at the ground intensely. “I think you need to tell me the truth about how you feel towards me.” he spluttered out, causing you to freeze in your steps.
The room quickly got hotter, hands getting sweaty and the rapid heartbeat getting louder. So much louder that you hadn’t realised Joel had stood up and moved; now standing right in front of you and his hand on the door, stopping you from opening it. “What?” you whispered out, cheeks heated up and coloured, scared of the response. “I’ve seen the way you look at me and what happened earlier...” he brought up, now getting as flustered as you were.
He had been helping you with gun training, first helping Ellie and then insisting he should help you. His warm hands on yours, covering them completely as he helped you hold the gun properly and shooting it, the growing tension between the two of you all the time. Instantly checking on you any time there was a run in with Clickers before checking Ellie and then Tess. The signs were all there, the two of you were just oblivious to the mutual feelings.
His hands on either side of you head brought you back into reality, a soft look plastered on his face that was a rare sight. “If you feel the same - I need to know I made the right choice, sweets.” he almost begged, anxiety and doubt growing inside him as he got no response.
“I’m sorry...I know it’s...it’s silly but I like you-” you got out, feeling as if your throat was closing up, getting harder to breathe. Joel let out a relieved sigh, pulling you close to him, your head in his chest as he rubbed his hands across your back and soft kisses to your head while whispering sweet nothings.
“Where’s Joel?” you asked, walking into the room and only seeing Ellie who was setting her sleeping bag up. “He went outside, needed fresh air or something.” she answered, shrugging before finishing her sleeping bag, getting into it. You nodded, leaning against the door as you sipped your hot drink, cupping the mug in your hands. Sitting down against the wall, you kept watch, making sure Ellie was okay until she fell asleep.
Once you were sure she was asleep, you walked to the kitchen, discarding the mug in the sink as the porch light came on, signifying Joel was out there still and moving around. Silently debating to yourself, you looked back and forth, unsure if you should go say anything. Since everything with Tess and Ellie had happened, he had been distant. He didn’t talk much - only about patrols and getting closer to Jackson.
Eventually you gave in, walking towards the door and opening it, walking out and making sure not to be too noisy. The male didn’t turn around, still sat on the steps staring into the distance. “Joel, what’s going on?” you mumbled, looking at him and trying to read his face, his expression still not changing. He didn’t say something, the fist on the other side of him gripping even tighter as he took deep breaths.
“You feel further away from me now than when you were a stranger.” you confessed softly, moving slightly closer to him as he cleared his throat, not moving when your hand rested on his knee. “I’m sorry...” he whispered, his eyes misting and his breathing speeding up, making himself panic. Your eyes widened, realising it was one of his attacks and his meds had run out the other day.
“Joel, breath with me. Come on.” you coaxed, breathing in and out as you crouched in front of him, holding his hands in yours as he followed along, eventually calming himself down. You didn’t pester him, letting him pull you into his lap and hold you tightly, rubbing his arms up and down as you comforted him.
“I’m sorry...I just...” he stumbled on his words, smiling at him softly to encourage him. “With losing...you know, Tess and...my baby girl...” he got out in between silent sobs, making you frown as you wiped his tears away. “...I just don’t want to lose you.” he confessed, your heart fluttering and cupping his cheek, your thumb rubbing his cheek softly with your thumb. “You’re in danger every day and not even home is safe anymore. And the kid-” he rambled, stopping when you grabbed his face, careful not to hurt him.
“Joel, wherever you are, that’s where my home is. We’ll be okay, you’ve kept me and Ellie safe so far.” you reminded, Joel humming as he moved his head, pressing a soft kiss the palm of your hand. No more words were exchanged, taking in the possible last quiet moment you’d have together. No matter what, you’d get through it together and he’d sworn on a star that he’d do everything to keep you and Ellie safe under any circumstances.
