#hello hi if you read this know me and author Joel are writing you a love letter

[kedsandtubesocks]

your heart, a sonnet

Author!Joel Miller x F!Reader

summary: you discover there’s more to your boyfriend than you realize

warnings/tags: 18+ ONLY MDNI, no outbreak/modern AU & Joel has both his daughters, surprise hidden identity reveal, grumpy but soft!Joel who has a secret love language of writing and love letters, mentions of unspecified age gap (reader’s age is not mentioned but Joel is older & in his 50’s), light discussion of reader and Joel’s insecurities, reader is addressed as darlin/honey/baby, a few spicy moments where Joel gets handsy

word count: 5.3k

a/n: I know, I know… this doesn’t seem like the typical Joel fic but i blame Pedro’s look at the Hollywood star walk of fame ceremony because it immediately made me think ‘oh that’s Joel’ and now here we are lol I couldn’t have done this without my forever babe @the-wild-wolves-around-you and i can’t thank her enough along with @ahauntedcowboy for always letting me scream about all my wild ideas, and now to you, if you’re reading this too I also can’t thank you enough ♡

You first met Joel at a bookstore.

The weekend after your birthday you went in to treat yourself and wandered into the records section of the store. As you flipped through the selections, the sudden sight of a Fleetwood Mac album had you inhaling sharply in surprise.

“S’good one.” That’s when the sudden smooth drawl of a southern accent floated out to you.

A few steps beside you stood an absolutely gorgeous man. The evergreen plaid button up shirt he wore flattered him as if it was made to be only worn by him. Rugged and distinguished, he seemed like a romance hero plucked straight out from one of the books among the shelves. You even blinked a few times wondering if he was real.

“If you don’t take it, might have to fight ya for it.” Even with his gruff low voice, an underlying teasing nature radiated friendly and light.

Now, many months later, a piece of you believes you might have fallen for him right then and there.

Joel is a rare beautiful soul of a man. He’s strong and a bit rough around the edges. He used to work as a contractor, even managed to build a very reputable business with his brother. His hard work remains effortlessly etched into his hands that now type editing books, his current job. He’s kind, so deeply loyal and loves fiercely.

With a yawn, you slip out of bed to pull on his cozy Texas longhorn shirt.

Heading downstairs, you walk among the clouds.

Instead of working at his office desk, Joel sits at the dining table typing away. Just seeing him wear his reading glasses sends a delicious desire trickling through you like a soft rain.

His dark earth eyes flicker up over the edge of his laptop and his gaze softens.

“Was wonderin’ when you were gonna wake up.” His wonderfully smooth as molasses voice makes you want to get caught up in its sticky sweetness.

“It’s not even that late. You’re one who woke up wanting to get work done on a Saturday.” You scoff playfully yet press your lips to his, a soft good morning greeting.

“Besides…who’s the reason I slept in so soundly, hm?” You smile against Joel’s lips that now twitch with a smirk.

His large warm hand slowly creeps up against your bare leg and rubs soft against your skin. After a few sleepy kisses, Joel’s tongue smoothly slips into your mouth trying to now consume you with a syrupy heat.

Joel pulls you down onto his lap. Your hands run up his chest to his cherub curly gray hair. His lips leave yours to start nipping at your jaw.

“What happened to working, cowboy?” You sigh softly.

“Come keep me company, darlin’.” He breathes out and any hope of maybe making breakfast is happily forgotten.

The rest of the morning unfolds at a nebulous pace you bask in.

When a late brunch is finished and you start cleaning up the kitchen, Joel’s warm solid hands map out your hips with other plans in mind. He slides behind you, a towering comfort that you lean back against.

“You’re extra handsy today Mr. Miller.” You tease.

“I can stop?” Joel offers while his scruffy beard scrapes a path against your skin. Against you, his broad shoulders, his wonderfully built frame, wraps you in his protective cover.

You hum a content no and move your hands over his now.

“Just wanna enjoy being with ya before I get busy.” Joel mutters while his hand slides down your cozy lounge shorts.

You had forgotten about his upcoming work plans.

You already want to mourn the impending weekend without him, but that can wait for another day. Especially when his thick fingers delicately, so sinfully, run up and down your underwear playfully touching you.

But then that weekend arrives and it brings a hollowness.

Lounging on the couch back at the apartment you share with your best friend, you force yourself not to text Joel again. He’s busy and you know this. So you vow to hold all your yearning and longing chained inside like a Jane Austen heroine.

“Are you done sulking?” Your best friend teases from the kitchen and you glare at her from the couch.

“I get it, being awake from your hunky handsome older boyfriend is hard. What will you ever do?” She snickers playfully. You’re tempted to throw the nearby couch pillows at her.

“What did you say his job was?” She asks.

“He used to be a contractor, but now he’s a book editor.” You answer.

“A hardworking hot Texas cowboy who reads and is a good man? Yeah, keep him locked up.” Your best snorts and you understand exactly what she means.

Fanged temptation claws at you more to text him again. Joel promised he would call you tonight and you don’t doubt him. But you didn’t realize how badly you’d missed him.

“Alright,” your best friend declares. “No more moping! I’m dragging you out with me to that book signing I’ve been talking about.”

She’s been obsessed with this apocalyptic novel series for so long. You happily tag along and even perk up when you see how excited she gets.

“And the author is finally doing a book tour! He’s kept his identity hidden this entire time so I wanna get a chance to maybe just even see him!” Your best friend gushes the entire time she drives you both to the bookstore the signing would be held.

Just so happens it’s the same bookstore where you first met Joel. A deep surge of affection swallows you whole and you float on blissful lovesick nostalgia.

Then the impressive line already waiting outside the front doors stuns you.

“I told you! It’s a big deal! Plus the series is so good.” Your best friend exclaims. She has been trying to get you into the series for a while.

The core of it focuses on two young girls who manage to survive an apocalyptic fungal zombie outbreak. The series follows the girls growing up, the journey to live with each other, and how it slowly bonds them as sisters.

“I heard they’re trying to make a Netflix series on it.” Your friend adds hopeful.

You can’t help but snag your best friend’s book copy she also hopes will get signed. Flipping through the front pages you land to the dedication page.

“To my baby girls, this will always be for you two.”

The author must have based the series on their daughters. That’s adorable.

Now curious, you flip to the first chapter.

“After seeing the end of the world, after witnessing the carnage of life consume itself, Ellie thinks she’s seen it all.”

Your best friend's sudden excited laugh pulls you out of the book. She’s talking with the other fans in line and you decide to join in.

Everyone discusses how worth the wait will be and how most of them even purchased the newest released book to make sure they reserved a slot for the signing.

“So why’s the author finally doing a face reveal?” You ask quietly not wanting to seem too out of place.

“So apparently,” your best friend begins in her hush about to spill the good gossip voice. “Some random ass moron on Twitter came out and said they were the true author. It became a whole messy issue of who it really was.”

Your best friend goes into more detail about how even a couple of online sites had articles on it.

“That’s awful.” You sympathize with the author. It must’ve been a headache trying to enjoy the peace of anonymity only for it becoming something used against them. You can only imagine how heartbreaking it was to see others steal and take credit for your work.

Like a surprise strike of lightning, an electric excitement suddenly breaks through the air.

Glancing up, you watch the line rapidly move towards the front doors. Time to go in.

Unfortunately, the main seating for the reading and q&a fills up fast. The bookstore though manages to wrangle the remainder of the crowd that can fit on the first floor towards a section where they can watch. It’s more than enough for your best friend who’s about to burst with anticipation. The buoyant commotion in the room even pulls you into its current and you get excited to see the new surprise author.

Soon a chic handsome older looking man, the moderator of the event, scurries to the front of the gathered group.

Warmly he begins the introduction to the writer.

First, writing sweet children’s books, stories for his daughters, those works became the author’s first publications. After that he navigated apocalyptic writing and his hit series has earned critical acclaim.

“Simply known as the anonymous writer J Miller. I’ve had the greatest pleasure to know this man as both his friend and now agent and I’m beyond proud to introduce him to you. Everyone please help me in welcoming J Miller!”

The thunderous applause and screams of excitement galvanize the entire room.

Then Joel walks out from the side.

Your heart instantly leaves your body.

For a moment you think your lovesick yearning heart has you slightly projecting Joel in any man you might see.

But the minute you focus, truly watch him slide into the chair, you see him.

Soft gray grown out curls, a strong beautiful nose, the patchy beard with the spots you love to kiss, and his reading glasses - the ones he’s so self conscious about because of how they make him look “so good damn old,” yet you love how they distinguish and elevate his appearance. You even remember the first time Joel wore them while he read waiting for you.

Truth makes its way into your heart.

It’s Joel.

The famous mystery author is your Joel.

“Thanks Frank.” And when he takes the mic, thanking his agent, his slick southern sunset voice melts the crowd.

“So, uh he’s gorgeous?!” Someone behind you squeals.

“Who would’ve thought he’d be this hot?!” Someone adds.

The whispers and mummers swarm like wasps buzzing all around you and you want to swat at them.

You can’t wrap your mind around this or the amount of emotions rushing through you. You feel separated from your body, floating detached from the scene and trying to gather yourself back.

Why didn’t he tell you?

Did he not trust you?

Joel suddenly laughs at something Frank says, that gruff wonderful laugh you hear after you show him a ridiculous video or his daughters tease him. It snaps you back into awareness.

“He’s about to read a section!” Your friend giddily whispers under her breath

Now you fully focus on this man, this almost stranger.

He’s so handsome it isn’t fair. He looks like a distinguished professor and your throat tightens seeing how broad his shoulders look in the dark casual suit jacket he wears.

“One of my favorite parts.” He admits quietly. “It’s when Ellie and Sarah realize they can make it outta Pittsburgh together.”

His daughters. He named his characters after them.

Joel clears his throat and begins.

He reads the passage with a magnetic cadence. The words slip from him like the smooth drink of whiskey that lingers on your tongue. When he finishes, an ache twists in your chest.

The applause he gets is shatteringly loud. The smallest bit of pride does float through you. But confusion drowns it out.

The floor now opens to quick questions. Some are about the book itself and the certain decisions made writing wise. Others are obviously about why he stayed hidden for so long.

That one perks you up quickly.

In such typical Joel fashion, he shrugs.

“Just couldn’t figure out Twitter, s’all.”

Everyone laughs at his playful reply and you do as well, but it sounds hollow and watery.

Soon enough the last question arrives.

“Do you ever see yourself writing for any other genres? I mean, we’ve seen horror and some moments of romance in the series. So I’m just curious if you’d write anything else?!” The lady asks brightly and now you simply settle your thoughts aside to listen.

Joel chuckes, a bit breathless and his gaze drops. This entire time he’s teetered between a sly southern charm that’s hypnotized you, to being guarded almost a bit nervous.

But now a boyishly hesitant grin falls over him and it’s so familiar.

”Uh, guess romance would be the next I’d maybe try.” He answers low, bashful.

The crowd erupts into fangirl like shrieks.

“Right?! I keep saying he doesn’t know the potential he has if he became a romance writer!” Frank, who has such a bright and lovely personality, adds.

Too many emotions clash in you.

You wonder if he wants to explore romance writing because of you?

Or a much harsher voice creeps out from the back of your mind whispering maybe you’re just being used for source material.

You quickly stomp those thoughts away.

The rest of the event shifts to the signing and you walk in a sort of guided daze.

“You okay?” Your best friend asks gently, noticing your slight mood change.

You don’t have the heart to tell her the truth yet. This was something she had been looking forward to and you didn’t want to ruin her excitement or experience. So you wearily just smile and tell her your head simply started hurting.

She sympathetically nods.

“Thankfully we won’t be waiting too long.” She adds and explains how the signing would be called by groups.

“We might not have gotten seats, but we did manage to sneak into group A for the signing.” She grins proud and it lifts your spirits.

The line curls against the sides of the bookshelves blocking your view of Joel. It becomes both a blessing and a curse.

Maybe you should wait in the car for his and your sake?

However, something inside you slightly bitter, raw and wanting answers, decides to stay. Besides you, your dear friend tries to keep herself calm but you can sense her bubbling nervous energy.

“I’d be calmer if he wasn’t so damn attractive.” She hisses and a jealous flare gently rises in you.

“Just think,” you reassure her. “He’s probably just as nervous as you.”

The relieved comforted grin she gives you makes staying worth it. But then all of that flies out the window the closer and closer you get to Joel.

Petrified dread claws its way in when you realize your best friend is next in line.

“He looks kinda familiar now that we’re closer.” The casual comment your friend says makes your heart sink.

“Maybe.” You mutter.

The times Joel has been to your place your roommate, your best friend, has been either at work or sleeping. You can only think of the first instant you introduce Joel to her when he picked you up on a date.

Your eyes flicker straight to Joel.

His hair seems so perfectly curled and his dark jacket highlights his wonderful grays.

Thankfully, any discussion of who he might look like gets squashed because your best friend gets called next in line. She turns to you squeaking excitedly and you beam back bright.

Joel lifts his eyes up, like a true southern gentleman wanting to give someone his full attention.

You wait on the side and watch the interaction unfold. Joel chuckles at something your best friend says and you’re glad she’s enjoying herself.

The book signing is done so fast. In a blink, it’s finished. With her newly signed book, your friend turns to you. She makes a slightly embarrassing but endearing noise of excitement that has you laughing.

That’s when your eyes flicker over to Joel and your gaze locks with his.

Instantly, Joel’s handsome face drops. His gorgeous earth eyes widen as he immediately recognizes you. His mouth falls open slightly and a flash of something close to fear fills the depths of his eyes.

He breathes out your name on a shaky exhale.

Everything seems to slow and stop. You don’t know what to say. So all you do is weakly smile.

The fleeting moment fades. The next group in line already giggles moving towards the table.

Time’s up. Turning on your heels to leave with your friend, Joel calls out to you, calls your name.

“Wait!”

You freeze.

Glancing back at him, Joel’s eyes pin you on the spot. An unspoken heaviness hangs in his deep eyes while he stares intently at you.

“It’s okay, we’ll talk later.” By some strange possession of slight bravery, or maybe delusion, you manage to speak.

But it’s all you can say and it’s all you can do before Frank, Joel’s agent, slides in to whisper something to him.

The moment again shatters.

Your best friend however grills you the rest of the day

That’s when you pull out your phone. You show her a photo you secretly took of Joel. It’s one where he’s adorably glaring at his ipad while he tried ordering take out for dinner.

Your best friend shrieks. “He’s your boyfriend?!”

He is.

Your boyfriend, Joel, is a writer, a very famous best selling author.

And that weight yanks you under a dangerous current you can’t seem to swim against.

Even after lunch, even getting back to your apartment and trying to settle your thoughts, your emotions are still so tangled.

You mindlessly scroll through your phone for the rest of the day and a blink, you notice it’s already early evening. Your plan to stay sulking is ruined when your phone starts ringing so loud.

It’s Joel.

“Hello?” You answer as composed as you can.

“Darlin?” His beautiful rich voice sounds hesitant and guarded.

“Hi.” You reply back quietly.

“Can we talk?” He asks just as low.

You agree, expecting to have the discussion on the phone. Except a knock taps on your apartment door and scares you right out of your body.

Ever proactive, ever the man who takes action, Joel stands waiting for you when you open the door.

You’re thankful more than ever that your best friend went to the gym for the evening.

“Wanna sit outside for a bit? Maybe get some air? S’really nice outside today.” He offers gentle.

He’s breaking up with you. That’s what your mind jumps to.

At least the weather is surprisingly kind this early evening.

You’ve sat out here on your apartment’s decent sized balcony with Joel before. But now the energy between you and him shifts strangely.

The sky stretches above a soft sherbet orange. A breeze comes, thankfully not too cold, but you think about maybe heading in to grab a blanket.

Joel however quickly slings off his jacket and drapes it over you. Always the gentleman.

The smell of his cologne, so comforting and masculine, wraps around you like a cloud.

You thank him with a soft small smile and Joel nods. Then he sighs and leans forward on the folding chair.

“Always loved the outdoors.” He begins, a small olive branch of a conversation to break the tension. “The girls and I love hiking the trails out by the lake. You ever been?”

You shake your head no.

“Maybe one day we can all go together.” The comment holds hope, a delicate thread of it. Yet you catch the hesitation.

Your eyes flicker to him, confused and cautious.

“Wait, you aren’t breaking up with me?” You blurt out, maybe just wanting to get it over with. You hate the way your voice cracks slightly.

Joel, with his beautiful concerned wide eyes, snaps his face to you.

“What? Honey no. Thought maybe you’d be the one maybe tryin’ to break up with me.” Joel, who Sarah jokes about how some of their neighbors question if he’s perpetually grumpy, stares at you with a tenderness that melts you to your core.

You can’t help but laugh watery.

“Why d’ya think I’d want to end things with you?” He asks patiently.

You can think of so many.

He’s a famous writer who’s about to maybe become an online sensation. He’s older than you, wiser and seasoned. He’s a full on father with young teenage daughters.

So you reveal your heart to him and all the fears that dwell in its shadows. You wipe away a few tears that manage to spill out.

Joel moves to hold your hands in his, a guarded warmth and protection keeping you stable.

With a heavy sigh, Joel’s attention fully focused on you.

“Honey…I’m so sorry for not telling you about my work, about me, sooner.” He earnestly apologizes and his words drip with comforing earnesty.

Now his gaze drops down to where your hand sits in his.

“Didn’t want it complicatin’ things with us. I knew I had to tell you eventually. But really…I was worried you’d see me differently once you knew. I know I don’t seem like the writin’ type anyway.” He mutters and you miss the hint of embarrassment coloring his tone.

You squeeze his hands.

This could never make you look at Joel in a negative light. If anything, you now feel proud knowing he’s a writer. You do explain your worries though and the ache you felt knowing he kept his from you.

“I know darlin’ and I promise,” he squeezes your hands now. “No more secrets between us.”

“You…us…means more to me than you’ll know.” He adds and you draw his hands up to your mouth.

You kiss his worn hands, his hard working beautiful hands that now move to hold your face so tenderly in their grasp. His thumb strokes your bottom lip delicately as if you’ll disappear from his sight.

“Can I kiss ya baby?”

You nod and in that same breath Joel pulls you towards him. He kisses you light, delicate enough that you feel so precious and treasured within his hold.

It seems like such a simple small kiss but it soaks into your bones.

You have so many questions. And as much as you’d like to make out with your boyfriend on the balcony, you’d like answers.

So you pull away and stand up.

Joel looks adorable as confusion paints his face.

“Don’t worry I’m just getting us a blanket.” You grin at him as you sling on his jacket claiming it as your own.

Blanket in hand you now curl up with him in the lawn chair, thankful for its sturdiness and cozy size. Your heart soars at how quickly Joel pulls you into his arms and basically onto his lap.

It feels like it’s been months since you’ve last been with him, or maybe that’s just how exhausting today was.

Joel sighs content and pleased once you fully rest against him. Hesitantly you ask if it’s okay if you can talk about him, about his work.

“Ask away honey. I’ll tell ya everything n’ anything.” He says firm.

You grin and your thumb starts stroking the back of his hand.

“So what made you decide to reveal yourself now? I heard there was an issue about someone saying they were you?” You ask, thinking of the discussions earlier with your best friend.

“Yeah..” Joel now sighs tired with an ancient weariness that settles over his handsome face.

“Sarah was the one who saw it first on Twitter or wherever it was.” He adds with a grumble.

Your heart aches knowing one of the girls saw it first.

“Didn’t help either that I ain’t online. So it became a whole fuckin’ mess we had to deal with it a couple months back.”

A light bulb goes off inside your brain.

“Was that when you said you had to visit a family friend out of town?” You connect the dots.

“Yup.” Joel nods. “Went to visit Frank, my agent, to try and figure this shit out. Could’ve let it all maybe die down but… ya know.” He huffs and you understand completely.

Joel is too stubborn, a bit too prideful. You almost snort amused just over the thought of him trying to let the situation blow over.

“Frank wants to meet ya by the way.” Now his voice dips with a bashful tone while his hands begin softly stroking your thighs.

“I’d love to meet him too.” You truthfully tell Joel.

“So, are you going to be online now? Should I start making secret accounts to follow you?” You now tease and Joel barks a beautiful amused laugh.

“Baby, I’m over 50. The only apps I need on my phone are candy crush and ESPN. Ain’t got the time or patience for social medias.”

Now you’re the one laughing.

It feels freeing, blissful, like this is the first moment you’re spending time with him all over again. Yet, there’s a deeper sacred connection that settles.

You can’t help but kiss him again and Joel eagerly welcomes you on his lips.

Now his lips move fervently, almost possessively, against yours, licking and trying to consume you. A small moan squeaks out of you.

“Come on baby,” he mutters, shifting you against his lap so that you fully feel his hardness straining against his pants. “Wanna taste ya.”

You’re thankful you manage to drag him back inside because you can’t imagine getting intimate with Joel on the balcony. Well, at least not yet. But that was a thought for another day.

Now in the afterglow’s soft relaxing peace you wish for more time with him.

But Joel must sense that ache too.

“S’late honey. Come back home with me. Even if it’s just for the night.” He mutters against your lips and you can’t deny him. You don’t want to deny him or the aching tug pulling you to him.

That night you fully embrace every inch of the man Joel Miller is and let a dizzying adoration for him swallow you whole.

The next morning, in the soft early still dark shade of his room, Joel wakes you with a tender kiss to your forehead.

“Gotta go meet with Frank for the day. I’ll see ya later, honey.” He mutters against your cozy heated skin.

You hum a soft agreement and sleepily wish him a goodbye before falling back to sleep. After that, you wake up later to a colder and empty bed.

Tugging on another one of Joel’s shirts you head downstairs already missing his presence.

And when you get downstairs, there on the table sits the most gorgeous floral arrangement. Its beautiful vibrant blooms make your heart flutter so fast against its cage.

A folded paper sits beside the flowers. Your name is written on the front in Joel’s slightly chicken scratch like handwriting.

You scramble fast to grab it.

A letter, he’s written you a letter.

“Honey,

I know I’ve already apologized and you’ve forgiven my old undeserving ass.”

You snort at that line but continue on.

“But I just wanted to fully apologize to you again. Might take me a while until I stop, but just be patient with my old bones yeah?”

You would. Your heart would and will always wait for him.

“Doesn’t seem like it but, I aint that good at talking about things, about my feelings. Shocker right?”

You smirk. You know he isn’t good with words - that’s why it almost feels ironic and a bit unreal that he’s an author.

You’ve discovered Joel shows his affection through his actions.

He spent an entire day rearranging a business scheduling conflict just so that Tommy didn’t have to worry about it. Joel never missed a single one of Ellie’s basketball games. Sarah only prefers a certain type of orange juice and Joel never fails to only get that one.

The first few weeks you started dating Joel you got sick with a nasty cold. He dropped off a whole bag of various items like tissues and cough drops. It was then you knew his heart shines through his actions.

He sometimes surprises you with an order from your favorite take out spot. He never lets you touch a door, always opening them for you instead. He’s the most generous lover and never fails to remind you of how tender, how consuming, his passion can be.

Joel does grumble, sometimes even seems grouchy, but he loves fiercely.

And now here he is showing you this side of him, this form of himself as a writer.

So you return to reading his letter.

“I got into writing because it helped me process all my emotions, my thoughts, the good and bad days - everything. And sharing my writing with others, especially with someone as important as you, still makes me feel so vulnerable. Funny how that worked out though huh? Guess fate wanted to drag my ass and make me face my fears and vulnerability and whatnot.”

Someone as important as you - The line makes your heart flutter.

“I know I told you the reasons why I didn’t tell you. But another reason was because I was afraid.

I was afraid of how much you mean to me. Telling you about this part of me would be taking a bigger step. And it scared me shitless. Cause darlin’ I haven’t felt this way in a very long time. Like, as Ellie loves to say, in such a long time that ‘dinosaurs weren’t even fossils.’

That makes you laugh a bit watery but you let his words carry you again.

“You make my damn heart race when you smile. I get so worked up just seeing you walk around my house as if you were always meant to be here. And I didn't want to lose that either. I still don’t.

You feel like a bright future, like waking up after a cloudy week and the sun greets you so nicely. And I just wanna stay in that warmth, your warmth.

Yeah sorry, that line might be too romance novel writer for my league…but like I said I’m thinking about it. And it’s because of you.

We said no more secrets yeah?

So I’m not lying when I say you’ve become so god damn important to me. And I wanna see more days with you, as many as you’ll have with me.

Fuck. This damn letter already feels too long and I hate my old ass for rambling and maybe not making sense. But I adore you honey. Plain in simple.

And I’m just gonna leave it at that.

Don’t miss me too much and I’ll see you soon.

P.S I picked that bookstore as the tour’s first stop here because it’s where I met you… and I’ll always be grateful for that

-Joel”

You now fight back an absolute ocean’s worth of adoration for this man.

Tears clog your throat and you try not letting them flood your vision, but it’s so hard. So hard when you’re this head over heels.

You don’t want to say it yet, and you don’t know if he’s even ready to say it, but the emotion filling you like a newborn star feels like love.

You barely manage to send out a text thanking him and hoping you’ll get to talk to him soon.

Joel, ever the endearing man he is, replies back with a simple heart emoji and you laugh.

You really might love this man.

And you hope, you so brightly hope, that he maybe loves you too.

You think of his book series, of how he became a writer simply wanting to tell his daughters stories. Those stories grew out of his love for them and now he gets to crystallize that among his pages.

You realize how writing truly is its own form of love.

After all, what better way for a writer to show their love, their heart, than to capture you in their words?

You think that’s where writers must live now, in the heart. Or maybe - your maybe gruff handsome one just does. And you happily welcome Joel’s place in yours and hope he resides there forever like a love poem etched into your very soul.

#hello hi if you read this know me and author Joel are writing you a love letter #Joel miller x reader #joel miller x f!reader #author!joel miller #Joel miller fic #Joel 🤎

[thetriumphantpanda]

I Could Use Somebody | Joel Miller

The Checklist - Free Use

Chapter Summary | Joel, coming home from work frustrated and pent up, doesn't seem to care you're in the middle of a serious work meeting. He wants you? He'll have you.

Chapter Warnings | Basically porn without plot, this is a free use fic so please keep that in mind, consent conversations beforehand, oral sex (M&F), unprotected PiV sex, creampie, cum eating, fingering, these two get up to some questionable things on a zoom call, dirty talk, pet names (baby), established relationship, No Outbreak AU, No Use of Y/N.

Word Count | 3.2K

Pairing | Joel Miller x F!Reader

Authors Note | I'm going to out myself so hard by telling you all this specific scenario is such a fantasy of mine and imagining Joel Miller being the one to give it to me was too much. The amount of pacing I had to do writing this is not worth imagining haha. I know this isn't for everyone, but I hope those of you into it enjoy it! Shoutout to @swiftispunk for starting off the flurry of voting for this next part - enjoy y'all. If you do enjoy this, reblogs and comments are always appreciated, and if you'd like to support me further, you can donate to my Ko-Fi.

A reminder that whilst this is part of a wider series, this can be read as a standalone if you wish.

Beautiful divider by @saradika

I no longer have a taglist, to keep up to date with my work, please follow @thetriumphantpandanotifs and turn on notifications.

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist | Ko-Fi.

You’re finishing up dinner, plate empty, sipping from a glass of water when Joel slips the now worn piece of paper over the table to you. Some things crossed off, some still waiting to be explored. You grin at him over your glass of water.

“Baby, I’m tired tonight.”

“I know, I ain’t fishing, I promise, just wanted to talk to you about this one.”

You look down at the little checklist, one of Joel’s fingers pointing to your handwriting, free use. You bite your lip a little, looking at him through your eyelashes.

“You know what it means?” He asks.

“Yeah,” You nod simply, “Means I let you have me whenever you want, right?” You shrug a little, “Why, you been doing your research, Miller?”

He snorts a little, shaking his head with a little laugh, “Sounds like you have too,” He takes a drink of his water, “Means you agree t’let me do whatever I want t’ya, whenever I want, but I need t’know if there’s anythin’ you don’t want me to do.”

You think for a minute, biting at your lip, “You can do whatever, just as long as I’m not asleep.”

Joel nods his head in agreement, sliding the piece of paper back over the table and into his pocket.

“I’m going to be living in pure anticipation over this now.”

“I know, baby,” He smirks, standing up to clear the plates from the table, dipping to kiss the top of your head as he pike yours up, “That’s part of the fun, right?”

You sigh, heel of your palm digging into our eyes. This meeting was dragging. This meeting definitely could have been an email. It’s now thirty minutes after you were meant to log off, and Jean from Finance won’t shut up about budgets and correct invoicing. Mark still hadn’t said his piece, and he’s known for droning on as well, so you’re going to have to wait at least another thirty minutes to give your update and leave.

Reaching over to pick up the now lukewarm cup of coffee on the desk, you hear the front door open. Sighing again, knowing that Joel is very rarely done with work before you are.

“Hello?” He calls into the house.

“Still in a meeting, baby!” You call back, office door ajar so he can hear you.

You can hear him climbing up the stairs, even without his boots on you can hear his heavy footfall coming down the hallway, his head peaking around the door frame.

“Camera’s off, thankfully.” You smile, turning in your office chair a little to reach your hand out to him.

“It’s late.” He comments, leaning down to press a kiss to your lips when you tilt your face up towards him.

Motioning your head to the screen, you say, “Jean won’t stop droning about budgets, I’m probably in it for the long haul.”

Joel runs a hand down the back of your head, fingers digging softly into the back of your neck which has you leaning back into his palm, rolling your shoulders as he works his thumb through the stress knot, “Did you say it was camera’s off?”

You nod your head, closing your eyes, leaning back into his touch. You can feel him running the tips of his fingers down your arm, fingers circling your wrist, which he then brings up, placing your palm again the front of his jeans where he’s already half-hard. The hand on the back of your neck is gentle, but firm, as it pulls you back a little, making you open your eyes to look up at him.

“You’re gonna suck my cock, baby,” It’s not a question, he isn’t asking, and he’s firm with it too, unbuckling his belt, “Been hard all day thinkin’ a’you, and I want you t’fix it.”

You swivel the chair a little, so you can bring your hands up to pop the button on his jeans and pull the zipper down. You pull his jeans down just to his mid-thigh, bringing your face forward to press soft kisses to the skin where the legs of his boxers are sitting, your palm rubbing gently up against the growing bulge tenting his underwear.

Joel reaches down, palm cupping your cheek softly, but when you look up at him, his eyes are dark, face stoic, “I said fix it baby, not tease me.”

You hook your fingers into the elastic around his hips, dragging the material down slowly, watching as his cock springs free when you’ve pulled his underwear down to meet his jeans. You can already feel the flicker of heat in your abdomen as you wrap your palm around his base, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses to the skin around him, focusing your attention anywhere but where he wanted it, as your hand moves up and down his length.

Before he can chastise you again, you lean back a little, guiding the head of his cock to your mouth. You bring your lips the the underside of him, pressing your mouth all the way down, before using your tongue to lick all the way back up, relishing in the way Joel exhales, all shaky, when you flick the tip of your tongue to the underside of the tip of his cock. You let him rest on your tongue a little, fisting the base of his cock, before you wrap your lips around him, tongue swirling wet and hot around it.

Joel has always loved when you do this to him, and you’ve always loved the way you can make him come undone with just your mouth. He’s already groaning a little when you flatten your tongue against the underside of his cock, moving your head down, taking as much of him into your mouth as you can before you feel him nudge at the back of your throat. You drag your fist up his length as you pull your mouth back off him, pumping him a few times to wet his cock with your spit, before you carry on exactly as you were, slowly running your mouth up and down him, following the movement of your lips with your fist.

You’re still half-aware of the sound coming from your laptop next to you, you can still hear Jean talking, which is no surprise, but there’s something about her talking about the new budget codes for the next financial year, knowing you’re paying no attention to her and instead sucking your boyfriend’s cock, that makes you rub your thighs together. You’re so wrapped up that when Joel uses his palm to cup your chin, you think he just wants to look at you with his cock stuffed halfway down your throat, but then he’s tilting his head towards your computer.

“I think someone just asked you a question, baby.”

Joel is smirking as you pull your mouth off him, scrabbling to unmute yourself, “Sorry Jean, I didn’t quite catch that, could you repeat the question?”

She sighs, and you can see her in the tiny rectangle, shaking her head. Joel reaches down, taking hold of your hand to bring it back to his cock, his own hand covering yours as he guides your movements, jerking him off whilst Jean repeats her question.

“I said, can you send me your budget reporting by the end of the week so I can get it all imported into the master finance sheet ready for auditing?”

You’re keenly aware that although your camera is off, your hand is currently fisting Joel’s cock whilst you’re having a conversation about fucking budget sheets. You’re pretty sure if you put a hand in your panties right now you’d be soaked from the situation alone.

“Sorry Jean,” You apologise, “Yes, that should be fine, I can email those over before the end of Friday.”

You don’t even wait for her response, just click the microphone button again to mute yourself, turning back to Joel, who is moving your hand off of his cock, fisting the base of it himself to bring to back to your mouth.

He cups the back of your head in one of his wide palms, inching his cock back into the wet heat of your mouth, “What would Jean think baby?” He asks, starting short thrusts into your mouth, “If she knew you’d been jerkin’ me off whilst talkin’ to her?”

It’s a rhetorical question really, considering he won’t pull himself from your mouth to let you answer, but he knows her, he met her last year at the Christmas party, she’d be horrified, clutching the gold crucifix necklace she always wears and praying for your salvation probably.

“Want you t’get nice and sloppy, baby,” Joel coos, “Y’know how I like it.”

And you do, you know exactly how he likes it. You move your palms around his body, palms resting on the meat of his ass, fingers digging into the skin ever so gently as you you slacken your jaw around him, finally letting the head of his cock hit the back of your throat. He loves it when you get messy, when he can hear you gagging around him, when you pull back and he’s covered in your spit.

“Yeah, that’s it baby,” He encourages from above as the tip of your nose brushes against the soft skin of his tummy, “Takin’ me so fucking deep.”

His palm is still on the back of your head, holding you still as he starts those shallow thrusts into the back of your throat. You can feel saliva pooling at the corners of your mouth, the sounds of gulping and Joel’s hisses when you gag around him all that you can hear. You bring your hand lower, cupping his balls and almost preen when he gasps, massaging them gently as he fucks your face.

He pulls himself out of your mouth, holding you still, his cock still so close to your mouth, with trails of spit still connecting the two of you. As you take a breath, you’re aware that it’s now Mark’s voice you can hear, which still means you’ve got time until you say your piece, but time is running out.

Joel clutches your cheek in his palm, rubbing away the trail of tears he’s caused from fucking your face, “Gonna fuck you now, baby,” He says, stepping back to kiss your mouth, “Stand up.”

You do, Joel pushing the office chair away from you so he can stand behind you, hooking his fingers into the waistband of your leggings, pulling them down your legs to pool at your ankles, along with you underwear. He’s behind you, pressing himself against your ass before you know it, cock sliding through your slick folds. You’d be embarrassed that you’re so wet without him even touching you, but the way he slides himself into you, burying himself to the hilt in your aching cunt, has your brain blank immediately.

“So fuckin’ wet, baby,” He hisses from behind, hands holding your hips to keep you still, “All from suckin’ my cock, huh?”

Your palms are face down on the desk, body placed just to the side of where your laptop sits. You turn your head around to look at Joel behind you, catching Mark in his little rectangle on your screen - you have no idea what he’s talking about, but the thrill of knowing that you’re not paying attention because Joel is dragging his thick cock out of you, holding still before he slams himself back into you, and they have no idea that’s what you’re doing, makes your indifference to the conversation even more noticeable to you.

He’s rough with it today, not uncomfortably so, but you can tell he’s had a stressful day of it, you always can, when he grips your hips hard enough to leave fingerprints on your skin and does nothing but use you for his own pleasure. He’s always one to return the favour afterwards, getting you off with his fingers or his mouth, but there are just some times when he needs to let out his own frustrations first.

Joel snakes a hand up your spine over your t-shirt, letting his hand tangle in your hair before he pulls back harshly, arching your back into him, it causes a strangled cry to fall from your lips as his cock punches back into you, the thick sound of his skin slapping against yours as he brushes that spot inside you enough to cause tiny black spots to appear in your vision.

“Feel good baby?” He asks from behind you, leaning his chest across your back, tagging at your hair to pull your face to his, his teeth nibbling at the skin of your jaw, tongue licking across it afterwards.

The change in angle, with him led flat against your back is insane, his thrusts now deep and short inside you, his weight pushing you flat against the desk now as he presses his mouth to yours. You open against him immediately, tongue melding with his own, moans swallowed, breaths tasted as he keeps a firm grip in your hair.

“Fuck me,” He groans out, almost pained, “Feel so fucking good baby, gonna make me come.”

You gasp into his mouth, not so much kissing him anymore than you are just lips to lips as he presses further into you, head of his cock nudging painfully at your cervix as he chases his high. You can feel yourself clenching around him, walls tightening and fluttering around his cock as you can feel him start to falter, until he’s biting down on your shoulder through your shirt, groaning out into your skin as you feel him fill you.

It’s a feeling you’ll never tire of, unsure of how you ever went so long without letting him do it, when it feels this good to feel him pulsing inside of you, your name whispered into your ear with a press of a kiss behind it. The feeling of him so desperate and full for you that he’s dripping down your thigh before he’s even pulled himself out of you.

He doesn’t give you much time to recover. He’s pulling at the hem of your shirt to get you to stand, his other hand reaching behind him to get hold of the chair, which he guides you into.

“I think that’s pretty much it from me,” You can vaguely clock Mark saying in the background, signalling that you’re up next, “Does anyone have any questions before I hand over?”

Mercifully, someone does have a questions, which at least gives you time to smooth your hair and try and tamp down the fact you’ve just been fucked by your boyfriend when you should have been listening to the meeting. As you’re reaching down to your ankles to pick up your leggings and pull them back on, Joel’s hand circles your wrist.

“What do you think you’re doing, baby?” He asks, settling himself on his knees between your open ankles, pulling your leggings off completely, tossing them to the side.

“I’ve got to present in a minute.” You pant, pointing to the screen.

He nods his head in understanding, “You’re good at multitasking though, aren’t you?”

It takes a second for what he’s suggesting to settle in your mind, and you think about denying him, but then you remember the agreement, and the fact you’ve not come yet, and then a smirk appears on your face. You’re scooting your office chair further into him, widening your thighs as you do it, reaching out to drag your laptop to the edge of the desk as Joel settles his face into your cunt, tongue already flicking gently at your clit.

“I’m going to hand over to HR now.”

You take a deep breath, unmute yourself, and start talking, just as Joel sinks two of his fingers into your cunt, dragging a gasp from your lips, “Sorry everyone, my camera doesn’t seem to be working, but can you all hear me okay?” You ask, biting your lip at the end to stop a groan from escaping when Joel curls his fingers up into you.

There’s a muttering of agreement across the screen, so you launch into your usual end-of-month spiel, “We’ve had a good response to our employee survey,” You start, the flat of Joel’s tongue working over your bundle of nerves, you let out a cough to stifle the need to moan, “If you haven’t already, please encourage all of your team members to complete it so we can get an accurate picture of what people are feeling.”

You drop a hand to your thigh, where Joel’s hand is splaying your legs apart from him, squeezing onto his fingers as you whimper slightly, “We’ve also attempted to start streamlining our onboarding process, which we’ll test with teams who have new starters in the c-coming w-weeks.”

You look down at Joel, face between your thighs, looking up at you, his fingers pulled from you now, replaced with his tongue. You’re about to protest, tell him you’re a mess there, that he’d only just filled you up with his cum not minutes before, but the way his dark eyes are looking up at you, that familiar twinkle settling across them, and the fact you’re meant to be talking right now, you keep quiet.

“A-and finally,” You try and continue, feeling his tongue dragging through your folds, back up to your clit, “I know it’s only August, but we’re starting to plan our Christmas celebration, so keep an eye out for the date holder and please accept the meeting invite so we can have an idea of numbers, more information to follow.”

It’s a miracle that you mute yourself in time to complete fall apart when Joel sucks your clit into his mouth, rolling his warm tongue across that nub of nerves. The pressure, teamed up with his fingers back inside you, have you falling apart with a scream, your hand flying to his hair, tugging at his curls as he works you through it, thighs shaking, clenching together until he’s forcing them apart, dragging his tongue back down to your entrance, swirling through your combined slick and his cum. He pushed up from on his knees, clutching his palms to your cheeks before he’s putting his tongue on yours again, letting you taste the mix of you and him on his tongue.

“We taste good, huh baby?”

You bite your lip, “That was hot.”

“Yeah?” He smirks, “What about it?”

“Apart from you eating me out whilst I give a very serious company update?” You shrug, “The fact that you ate your own cum from my pussy probably did it.”

He leans forward, pressing another kiss to your mouth, “Sounds like that’s all done,” He comments, you look over his shoulder to the now empty Zoom meeting, with just you left in it, “You hungry?”

You reach over his shoulder and leave the meeting too, closing your laptop down for the night, “Starving.”

#Joel Miller #Joel Miller x Reader #Joel Miller x you #Joel Miller smut #Joel Miller x female reader #Joel Miller x f!reader #Joel Miller fic #Joel Miller fanfic #Joel Miller fanfiction #joel miller fluff #Joel Miller kink #The Last Of us #The Last of us hbo #tlou #tlou hbo #the last of us smut #tlou smut #the last of us fic #tlou fic #the last of us fanfic #tlou fanfic #the last of us fanfiction #tlou fanfiction #joel tlou #tw: free use #Joel Miller tlou #Pedro Pascal #Joel The last of us #joel miller the last of us #The Checklist

[jobean12-blog]

Slow and Steady

Pairing: Joel Miller x reader (Lumberjack AU)

Word Count: 1,777

Summary: You've had your first date and it was perfect, the heat between you undeniable and now it's time for date #2, at his cabin, doing Lumberjack things...

Author's Note: I just love this AU for him and I'm having fun writing it! You do not need to read Wood You Be Mine? in order to read this but you can see how they met if you want! Thank you all so much for reading! Much love always! ❤️❤️❤️Divider by the lovely @firefly-graphics thank you Daisy🥰

Warnings: lots of fluffy fun, sweetness, flirting, tension, slow burn and build up. They are both cheeky and sassy😁

Joel Miller Masterlist

“Are you wearing suspenders?”

“Is that supposed to be my hello?”

Before you can sass him again, he pulls you through the door of his cabin, shuts it and promptly pins you against it.

His hands settle on either side of your head and he leans forward, his eyes dropping to your lips.

“Well darlin’?”

You nibble on your bottom lip, only tempting him more. He moves closer, dropping one hand to stroke your cheek. Slowly. Lightly.

“Hi,” you breathe out.

He tilts your head, pressing his calloused thumb under your chin until you can feel the whispered brush of his lips.

“Hey,” he murmurs before kissing you.

You wind your arms around his neck and kiss him back, melting into his warm embrace. His body covers yours, pressing you harder against the door as his lips travel along your jawline to your ear, where he nips lightly then moves down your neck.

When his lips meet yours again you sigh into the kiss, running your hands through his tussled hair and clinging to every inch of him. You grind your hips into his as your fingertips explore and your lips do the same.

“I love your beard,” you whimper, pressing small kisses along his jaw.

He groans and pulls back.

You slide your hands from his neck and down over his shoulders until you’re fingers are grasping his suspenders. With a tug you bring his lips back to yours, just a breath between you when you whisper, “if you stop, I’m going to kill you. With your own axe.”

He chuckles and brushes his thumb across your lips.

“Darlin, we gotta go slow. I’m...,” he closes his eyes briefly and shakes his head. “I’m wound tight just being around you…and with your hands and lips on me…It’s been a really long time and I’m like a horny teenager. I don’t want to have you for the very first time fast against the door. You deserve my nice soft bed or at least the plush rug in front of my warm fireplace.”

You gaze up into his face with a smirk. “That sounds…perfect.”

Flattening your palms to his chest you press closer and whisper, “but what if I want it fast and hard.”

His lips part slightly and you can see the heat in his eyes. “I’ll take you any way you want darlin’ but first I want to take my time to explore and worship every inch of you.”

Your satisfied hum is swallowed by his kiss, soft at first, but then growing to an intensity that has your toes curling in your shoes.

When he pulls away it’s with your name on his lips, his forehead resting to yours.

“I never did give you a full tour of the cabin,” he says. “The history of its construction is actually pretty fascinating.”

“Fascinating because you built it?” you say cheekily.

He smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkling with warmth. “You’ll have to let me know what you think.”

When he offers you his hand, you take it, your fingers closing around his rough but warm skin. “And after the tour, I’m gonna show you how to swing an axe.”

The cabin is even more beautiful after you learn all the little details and history behind its creation, each piece of furniture and each room having it’s own story and all of it having a little piece of him. As much as you love living in the city you can totally see the charm and comfort of living in the mountains…especially with Joel.

“Do I need a pair of suspenders to do this properly?” you tease as he leads you out to the backyard.

“Make you a deal darlin’,” he starts as he picks up his axe and heaves it over his shoulder in one easy swing. “You chop through one piece of wood this afternoon and I’ll take these off and you’ll never see ‘em again.”

“Or?” you ask, raising a brow.

“If you don’t, then you have to wear ‘em…”

“I feel like there’s more to this deal,” you giggle.

“I was gonna say with nothing else on but some tight jeans but since this is only our second date…”

“Deal,” you blurt out. “Although, I’m mostly only teasing…they are very sexy on you. So maybe if I do chop through one piece you can still wear them…minus a shirt.”

“Alright darlin’. You’ve got yourself a deal,” he winks, moving to stand behind you.

“Now first I’m gonna show you how to properly hold the axe, then we’ll get to swingin’ it.”

He presses his hard chest to your back and rests the axe in front of you, his strong arms wrapping around you so he can take your hands in his.

“Two hands, one here and one here,” he instructs, moving your hands and adjusting your fingers.

His large hands cover yours and he nestles his face into the crook of your neck, murmuring the instructions in your ear.  

The hairs of his beard brush your soft skin and a shiver shoots down your spine, your eyes closing as you lean back into his warmth.

“Are you paying attention?” he asks with a satisfied smirk.

“Well…um,” you start, nestling your ass into his crotch. “No. Not really.”

He opens his mouth to speak, his warm breath fanning your cheek but you cut him off with, “but it’s all your fault so…”

“Of course it is,” he counters.

He steps back and leaves you standing there with the axe.

“Ok, your hands look good now let’s practice lifting it,” he says.

“But why are you over there?” you ask, pouting.

“You need to be payin’ attention darlin’ and apparently I’m a distraction.”

His mega watt smile makes you groan and roll your eyes playfully. “Ugh, I’m never going to hear the end of this! Get back over here! I promise I can handle you.”

He raises a questioning brow but steps toward you, settling back into his original position.

“We’ll see about that darlin’,” he whispers, his lips lightly brushing the shell of your ear.

You let out an exhale and stop yourself from trembling but you feel his smile against your skin.

“How do you do this all day?” you ask, wiping the sweat from your temple.

He chuckles, hooking his thumbs into his suspenders and giving them a little flick as he flexes his biceps.

“Yeah, well…,” you begin but lose steam as the axe gets heavy in your hand and his corded forearms keep flexing in his rolled-up flannel sleeves. A major distraction.

“You givin’ up princess?” he asks, victory alight in his eyes.

“Princess?” you mimic, narrowing your eyes. “I’ll show you.”

You lift the axe again, focusing on your form as he taught you and swing it down with all your strength, cutting a clean line into it but still not all the way through.

“Well look at you. Maybe I should start callin’ you princess more often,” he teases. “Gets you fired up.”

You grunt and take another swing, this time cutting the wood all the way through.

“I DID IT!” you cheer, dropping the axe and throwing yourself at Joel. “I WIN!”

He catches you in his arms with a laugh.

“Of course you did,” he says, tone all matter of fact. “I knew you could.”

“When do I get my prize?”

You're nearly breathless at the thought of him in nothing but tight jeans, those heavy boots and a pair of suspenders.

“Patience princess,” he hums. “I promised you a meal and dessert too.”

You smile before kissing him, only pulling away to say, “now your turn. I only got to see you chop wood that one time when I was “trespassing” and you use air quotes when you say it…and that was from the back, now I want the full three sixty experience.”

He scoffs with a lopsided grin and releases you.

“I knew you were staring at my ass,” he grins.

“I was,” you reply, “and I have no shame.”

“Good,” he says, “because I haven’t been able to stop staring at yours since that day.”

His eyes sweep down your body appreciatively before he grabs the axe and positions himself in front of a new log.

With one steady and precise swing he cuts all the way through it and it splits in half with a crack.

“Do it again,” you say breathily, giving him your best pleading eyes.

“Princess,” he warns, staring at you hard.

His jaw is tight with his restrained control as he grabs another log and sets it down in front of him.

You sneak a look at his ass, then his arms then focus on his hands. You sigh as you feel the heat creeping along your skin, the thought of his rough, strong hands all over your body clouding your brain.  

“Looks like you’re thinking about something good,” he simpers.

“Mm hm,” you hum.

“Care to share it?” he asks as his hands slide around your waist.

“Unless you’re going to bend me over one of these logs I better keep it to myself for now.”

He holds back a groan, lightly grinding his teeth as he studies you.

“It’s all I’ve been thinking about since we got out here,” he admits as his hands trace the curve of your hip.

“What about the home cooked meal you promised me?” you ask, looking at him through your lashes.

“Yeah, that’s right. Fresh from the garden right here in the mountains. Can’t get that in your fancy city.”

“Oh we have plenty of fresh produce there, it’s delicious.”

“Guess where it comes from princess,” he teases.

You press your lips together. “Well at least we have a Starbucks and a Target and…”

“Has anyone ever told you your sass is adorable? I find it very…” He brushes his lips to yours then cocks his head to the side. “Stimulating.”

“Hmm, no. You’re the first actually.” You bat your lashes.

He looks pleased before kissing you, his mouth tracing the curve of your jaw and the column of your neck. He buries his face in your skin and inhales.

“How ‘bout that dinner darlin’? Time to prove my manhood in the kitchen.”

“I’m already convinced of your manhood but I’m ready for more and I’m starving,” you tell him, giving his biceps a squeeze. “Are you going to feed me dessert too?”

He tucks you under his shoulder as he starts to walk back to the cabin then grasps your chin between his hands, keeping his eyes focused intensely on yours. “Dessert is what I do best,” he murmurs.

@pedritosdarling @hiddles-rose @littleseasiren @lorilane33 @lizette50 @hallecarey1 @kmc1989

#joel miller #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #lumberjack!joel miller #lumberjack!joel miller x reader #joel miller x y/n #joel miller x female reader #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller imagine #lumberjack au #pedro pascal #pedro pascal x reader

[pedroscurls]

Title: The Teacher (Part 1).

CHAPTER TITLE: Welcome to Jackson

Character(s): Joel Miller, Reader (female, first person POV), Tommy Miller, Maria Miller Summary: You have been on your own for over a year and after Maria saves you and brings you to Jackson, you try and settle in, doing your best to contribute to the community. Though, it doesn’t help that your neighbor, Joel Miller, reminds you of a special person from before the outbreak.  Word Count: 3,872 Author's Note: I’m still getting used to writing Joel Miller (and Pedro Pascal stories in general), but this idea has been on my mind for weeks now and I hope you all enjoy. Thanks for reading!  Warning: None.

You were dirty, exhausted, and starving when you arrived in Jackson. A woman named Maria found you, passed out in the middle of a field; she was sure that you were dead, but when your eyes opened and you scrambled to grab your gun, she knew that you were very much alive. 

You didn’t know if you were dead or dreaming, but you were sure this wasn’t real. Jackson was a real community, a resemblance of the old world, and you were in utter disbelief. 

Maria must have taken notice of the look on your face because she let out a soft chuckle and looked over at you.

“Welcome to Jackson.”

“T–This is real?” Your throat felt dry and your voice came out as a whisper. Being alone for over a year meant you rarely spoke. Your voice sounded foreign to you, almost as if it didn’t belong to you.

“Very real. My father and I built this community, trying to bring back some semblance of the old world.” Maria smiled. “My husband helps me run this community and you’ll meet him later. As of right now, how about we get you showered, some clean clothes, and then some food?”

Your eyes widened.

“You have water? Food?”

Maria just smiled. She would never get tired of that expression on people’s faces when they see Jackson for the first time. She took pride in it, being able to restore what once was. 

“Yes, we do.”

“I’m not dead, right?”

Maria chuckled. “I can assure you that you aren’t. Come. Follow me.”

You felt out of place as she walked you through the community. Everyone was polite, nodding in Maria’s direction and flashing you a smile once they saw that you were with her. 

You almost bumped into Maria once she stopped walking, your eyes taking in all of Jackson. You muttered an apology and she simply just smiled, nodding her head.

“Don’t worry about it. We’re here.”

“Here? It’s a house.”

Maria chuckled, leading her inside. You noticed two men sitting on a couch in the living room. One had slightly longer hair while the other man had shorter hair, however, both men had a beard and when the longer haired man stood, you immediately went to stand behind Maria. You had encountered plenty of men since the outbreak and not all of them were pleasant. 

“Hi baby,” he said, leaning over to kiss Maria’s cheek. He gave you a polite smile and you noticed the way Maria leaned against him. This was her husband. “Who’s this?”

She said your name and stepped to the side so that you could face Tommy. You didn’t meet his eyes though, staring down at your feet as you tried to make sense of what this was. 

Were they just putting up a facade of being nice? 

Was this place too good to be true? 

“Well, nice to meet ya. I’m Tommy,” he smiled. He pointed over his shoulder and referred to the other man on the couch. “That old man over there is my older brother, Joel. Be a gentleman and say hello.”

Joel grunted, waving a hand in the air. “Howdy.”

“He’s a grouch,” Tommy teased. 

You actually giggled, a smile lining your lips. It had been a long time since you heard that sound escape your lips. You finally looked up at him, noticing the friendly look behind his eyes and then looked over his shoulder at Joel. 

“You’re okay,” Maria said, noticing your timidness. “I promise you, you’re safe here.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just– It’s all overwhelming,” you admitted. 

“That’s understandable. Well, you’re in good hands with Maria and I’m not only sayin’ that because she’s my wife,” he winked. 

Joel finally stood from the couch and walked over to the trio. He looked down at you and tilted his head, pocketing a hand in his jeans. 

“Welcome to Jackson,” he said.

You looked up at him, getting a good look at the other man. There was something about him that reminded you of someone you knew, of your old world, and it broke your heart. You just nodded in his direction before looking over at Maria, pleading with your eyes to bring you elsewhere but here. She noticed the look on your face and cleared her throat, motioning towards the stairs. 

“Come on. I’ll show you where the bathroom is.” 

Joel looked over at Tommy, furrowing a brow. “I say somethin’ wrong?”

Tommy shrugged. “I don’t think so, but you gotta admit… Jackson is pretty overwhelming for someone who has been out there for too long and from the looks of it, she seems like she’s been on her own for a while.”

Joel sighed. “Sure.” He knew what Tommy was referring to; when he and Ellie first arrived at Jackson, it was all so surprising to him too. “Makes sense.”

Both men moved back to the living room, sitting on the couch and each grabbing their beers. They glanced in the direction of the stairs when they saw Maria descending them. She walked over to the couch and sat next to Tommy, taking a deep breath. 

“She okay?” Joel asked.

Maria and Tommy looked at him. Normally Joel didn’t really care or bother to ask about a newcomer’s wellbeing. 

“What?” he asked, taking note of the couple’s looks. 

“Nothin’.” Tommy replied.

Maria cracked a smile before looking over at Tommy. “She’s in rough shape.”

“Where’d ya find her?”

“On one of my routes. I thought she was dead,” Maria sighed. “She was alone and looks like she’s been alone for a while.”

“That’s what I assumed too,” Tommy replied. “Know anythin’ about her?”

“She used to be a teacher,” Maria answered. “But that’s all I know.” 

“A teacher, huh?” Tommy asked. “That might be useful here in Jackson since we got little ones runnin’ around. Could be good to start a school.”

Maria nodded. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. Sounded like she loved teaching and getting her to talk about it helped her understand that I wasn’t a threat.”

“You? A threat?” Tommy scoffed. “Please.”

Maria narrowed her eyes, gently slapping his arm which caused a snicker to come from Joel. 

“Y’all are sure entertainin’,” he commented.

“By the way, there’s one house available that I was thinking she could move into…” Maria began, glancing between the Miller brothers. 

Tommy arched a brow in her direction. “And where’s that?”

“Next to Joel. I was noticing the way she was looking around and how overwhelmed she looked… Plus, she’s alone and she don’t need a big house. The one next to Joel’s is perfect for a single person.”

Joel shrugged. “I don’t really get a say in this, do I?”

Maria shook her head. “Nope, but I figure I let you know.”

“Well, thanks, that’s kind of you,” he teased playfully. 

“You just gotta promise to be a good neighbor,” Tommy laughed. “You know, be nice and… Well, neighborly.” 

Joel rolled his eyes. “I am nice.”

“You come off as a bit of a grouch.”

“I gotta agree,” Maria chimed.

“Okay, okay. I’ll be on my best behavior,” he scoffed. 

Before the trio could start talking again, you descended the stairs after the much needed shower. Your hair had grown and you pulled it into a single braid, strands of hair falling from your face. You were dressed in clothes that Maria had given you, thankful that they fit and actually felt quite comfortable. 

You were dressed in dark jeans with a dark t-shirt underneath a flannel. The boots, however, felt like clouds on your feet. It had been a long time since you felt this comfortable and this good. You tried to tell yourself that this was too good to be true, to not let your guard down, but it was difficult. This place had running water, food, clothes, and people who seemed genuinely nice. 

Joel immediately looked in your direction. Even before the shower, he had felt an immediate pull to you and he couldn’t quite put his finger on the reason why. Instead, he told himself to keep his distance, even now that he knew you would be his new next door neighbor. He didn’t need for his small circle to get bigger, so when you descended the stairs and met his gaze, he stood and pointed towards the front door. 

“I’m gonna get goin’,” he muttered, turning on his heel. “It was nice meetin’ ya.” He called out before leaving Tommy and Maria’s house in a hurry. The couple looked between each other and shared a knowing look before their attention was shifted to you. 

“You hungry?” Tommy was the first to break the silence once Joel left. “I can make a really good omelet,” he smiled.

Maria nodded in agreement. “He’s right. His omelets are pretty good.” 

“Sure,” you replied, looking between the couple. “I just feel like I’m imposing and–”

“Not at all,” Maria reassured. “We just wanna get to know you first before we show you where you’ll be staying.”

“Staying?”

Tommy stood and walked into the kitchen and you decided to take a seat next to Maria on the couch, looking over at the other woman. 

“There’s a small house nearby. It’s perfect,” she replied. 

“I’m fine with just a bed and–”

Maria nodded, saying your name to interrupt you. “Listen, Jackson is… We strive to provide a safe haven. All of us here have seen and encountered some very difficult situations. I promise you, you will be fine here.”

“Well, I have to contribute somehow.” You replied. 

“Of course. Tommy and I were already talking about the perfect job for you.”

“You have?”

Maria nodded. “We’ve been meaning to open up a school since we have lots of kids here, but could never find the right teacher.”

Your eyes lit up. Before the outbreak, you had been a teacher of all ages; elementary, middle, and high school generally. You loved being a teacher, enjoyed seeing your students and helping them succeed. So, when the world ended, it pained you to even think about where your students might be or what could have happened to them. You had such a big heart; you weren’t cut out for this new world, but you learned how to survive and how to protect yourself. 

“Really?” You finally replied. “I– I would be honored to teach the kiddos.”

“I remember seeing your face light up when we talked about what you used to do before Outbreak Day and well, it seems like the perfect job for you.” 

“Is there a catch?” You asked hesitantly. Again, it seemed too good to be true. 

Maria shook her head. “No catch, just avoid getting into trouble, contribute to the community, be civil with everyone… It’s basic–”

“Common sense,” you finished. “I honestly can’t thank you enough.”

“Like I said, Jackson’s a safe haven. We’re glad to have you.” 

Tommy interrupted the conversation to bring you a plate. The aroma of food filled your senses and once you received the plate, you didn’t hesitate to scarf down the contents, not even bothering to savor the taste.

“Whoa,” Tommy chuckled. “You might wanna slow down there or else you’ll get sick.”

You felt slightly embarrassed, nodding your head and swallowing the food in your mouth. “Sorry. It’s just– It’s been a while. I can’t believe you have eggs.”

“Yeah, it’s quite amazing actually. We’ve got a farm here in Jackson. We even have a butcher shop, a bar…”

You couldn’t believe it. You looked between Tommy and Maria before continuing to eat. “Thank you,” you repeated. “Thank you both.”

Tommy nodded, looking over at you. “So, Maria tells me you were a teacher.”

“Yeah. I loved teaching,” you smiled to yourself. “Each day was always different.” 

“You must have a lot of patience,” he chuckled.

“Something like that, yeah.”

“You married?” Tommy asked.

You choked on your food, looking up at him and back at Maria who looked to be scolding him with her eyes. 

“Damn, I’m sorry,” Tommy said. “Listen, you ain’t gotta–”

“Yes, I was married,” you interrupted him. You figure they wanted to know more about your life, about how you had survived this long; they didn’t only want to know what your line of work was before the world ended.

Maria looked over at you with soft eyes. “We’re so sorry…”

You sighed. “It’s okay, really.”

“Do you mind if I ask–”

“He died before Outbreak day, if that’s what you both are wondering.” You bit your lower lip, looking down at your plate and suddenly not feeling very hungry. You had dedicated yourself to your work when your husband unexpectedly passed. 

Maria sighed. “How long before Outbreak day?”

“Five years before,” you sighed. 

Tommy cursed under his breath and looked over at Maria. He had never thought he would settle down and to think that losing Maria only made him reach out to her and rest a hand protectively on her thigh.

“What–”

“Car accident,” you interrupted Tommy. “My husband was on his way back home from getting dinner. It was just– It was a terrible accident.” 

“How long were you two together?” Maria asked.

You smiled sadly. You could still remember the sound of his voice, the scent of his cologne every morning, the feel of his strong arms around you and the feel of his lips. He was truly your soulmate, your partner and losing him hurt just as much. 

“We met in high school. He was a couple of years older than me. We were high school sweethearts,” you replied with a sad smile. “We got married very young.”

Tommy immediately reached for Maria’s hand, lacing his fingers with hers instantly. It definitely made him grateful for the woman who was sitting next to him and Maria instinctively leaned against him. 

“We had a good life together,” you added. “It wasn’t long enough, but I was still grateful for the amount of time and the memories we shared.” 

“Did you both have any kids?” Maria asked.

You shook your head. “We tried, for a long time, but we found out I couldn’t get pregnant and so, being a teacher kind of filled that void. My students were my children,” you smiled sadly, bringing a hand to wipe your tears. “Sorry. It’s been a while since I talked about my old life. Seems like a very distant memory now.”

“Looks like you’ve been a fighter from the beginning,” Maria said. 

You shrugged. You never considered yourself a fighter, instead, you were just the type of person to just keep pushing forward, take it day by day. It didn’t make it any easier, but you were grateful that your husband wasn’t around to see what this world had become. 

Tommy nodded in agreement, glancing over at the front door as his mind drifted to Joel, the childhood they shared, and his life before Outbreak day. 

“You ready to go see where you’ll be staying?” Tommy asked.

You nodded. “Sure, but like I said, I’m fine with–”

Maria interrupted with a smile. “You ain’t winning this argument. Come on.”

You set your plate aside and followed Maria and Tommy out of their house. Once again, you were taken aback by your surroundings. Jackson did genuinely seem like a good place to be at and you internally decided to give this place a chance. You knew what it was like outside of these walls and you were more than capable of taking care of yourself, so you decided it would be nice to just… Not fight anymore. Not unless you had to. 

Once your house came to view, you noticed Joel sitting on his porch with a guitar and a cup at a small table nearby. He set the guitar down and nodded in your direction before going into his home. 

“Wait, he’s my neighbor?” You asked.

“Will that be a problem? I promise, he’s a big softie inside.” Tommy chuckled. 

You shook your head. You glanced over at the house next door and bit your lower lip; you knew there was just something about Joel that reminded you of your husband, but you couldn’t put your finger on it. 

“No, not at all. I was just wondering. He just– It didn’t seem like he liked me.”

Maria chuckled, “That’s just Joel, but I promise you, he’s a really good man.” 

Tommy nodded in agreement. “He also lives with a young girl named Ellie, so you might see her around as well.”

“I’m just grateful to be here,” you replied. “Thank you again.”

They led you into the home and you were overwhelmed once more. You looked around and let tears fill your eyes at the sight. It was small and cozy, already furnished with the necessary furniture and decorations. 

“You’re surprised,” Tommy noticed. 

“I just– It’s like this isn’t real,” you replied. “Like I’ve died and this is what the afterlife is.”

Maria chuckled, “Well, I think that’s quite the compliment.”

Tommy smiled, “Maria and her father worked hard to build this community and we’re just trying to resemble life before the outbreak.”

You bit your lower lip. “How do you know who to take in and who to push away?”

Maria and Tommy looked at each other. “Let’s just say we follow our gut feeling.”

You shook your head, looking between the couple. “And your gut is always right?”

Maria shrugged, “Everyone deserves a second chance. This new world has caused all of us to do things we would never do, but we honestly believe that people’s morality is still there… Somewhere.”

You sighed in relief, looking at Maria. You didn’t know what you deserved to have been saved by her, to be here in Jackson, but you were grateful. It sounded like the people of this community were genuinely nice people and it was a change of pace from the groups you had been in before. 

Maybe you would be able to develop friendships, let your guard down, allow yourself to live again. 

“I don’t think I can ever thank you enough,” you told Maria. “I’m so grateful…”

Maria gently placed a hand on your shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. “We were meant to meet and I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason.”

“Me too,” you smiled. “And I can’t wait to start teaching.”

Tommy grinned, “That’s great to hear. I’m sure the other families will be excited too. For now, how about you take a couple of days to get yourself settled and we can discuss everything later?”

Maria nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I agree. We’ll get things settled on our end and meet back with you so that we’re all on the same page.”

“That sounds great, thank you.”

“And if you need anything, you know where we live,” Tommy said. “And Joel’s right next door also.”

You bit your lower lip. 

Joel.

“Thank you,” you repeated. 

When the couple left your home, you looked around and sighed to yourself. It was hard to relax, but you used this time to walk around and get yourself acquainted with your new house. In the living room, there was a bookcase attached to the wall with a loveseat and sofa seated in the middle. To the left of your living room was a small, rounded dining table with a cozy looking kitchen. You imagined yourself cooking again and it brought you such excitement. Then, down the hall, you noticed the bathroom to the left and right across was a bedroom. Stepping inside, your eyes widened at the large bed in the middle with two nightstands on either side. There was also a large dresser facing the bed with a mirror attached. 

It was truly cozy and perfect for just one person. 

You immediately went to the bed and fell back onto it, feeling the softness of the mattress bring you immediate comfort. It had been so long since you had fallen asleep on a mattress and you curled into a ball, finding yourself drifting. 

You were exhausted and now that you felt safe, you had fallen into a deep slumber. Though, you were only asleep for a couple of hours before you jolted awake. You glanced around the bedroom, blinking away the sleep as you remembered where you were. The sun was peering through your window, showcasing that it was near sunset, so you walked to your kitchen, rummaging through the cupboards. You found a glass and filled it with water from the sink, downing the contents. 

Then, you walked out onto your porch and smiled at the sight of the sky. It was beautiful. There was a hint of orange and red in the blue sky, noticing the sun slowly beginning to set. Before you could look around, you heard his voice. 

“Hey,” Joel called out. 

You walked over to the end of your porch near his house and saw him lean against his railing with a cup in his hand.

“Hi.”

Joel cleared his throat, bringing his cup to his lips. He was staring at you and he didn’t know exactly what else to say. He didn’t even know why he started a conversation in the first place, but once again, when he saw you, he felt himself wanting to get closer, to get to know you, and he didn’t know why.

“Sorry,” he started. “Um, how d’ya like your place?”

You glanced over your shoulder and smiled to yourself. “It’s cozy. I still can’t believe this place exists, if I’m being honest with you.”

Joel let the corner of his lips turn upwards, glancing over at the sky and noticing how there was a glow around you that he found himself captivated by. It had been such a long time since he had felt this way and it was as if he didn’t know how to act. 

“Yeah. Jackson can be a bit overwhelming,” Joel replied. “Maria mentioned you were a teacher?”

You smiled over at him. Joel found himself biting his lower lip at the sight of your smile. “I was, yeah. Maria and Tommy mentioned starting a school for the kids in this community and wanted me to teach, so I guess I’m gonna be teaching again.”

“Oh?” Joel tilted his head. “You excited?”

“Very,” you replied. 

Joel nodded, dropping his eyes down to his boots. He wanted to invite you over to his porch, so you both could talk more, to be closer, rather than at a distance. 

You couldn’t take your eyes off of him, noticing his quiet demeanor and how he looked to be in deep thought. You bit your lower lip, finding yourself wanting to talk to him more. 

“Have you seen all of Jackson yet?” Joel asked. 

You shook your head. “I feel like I could get lost,” you teased.

Joel smiled. “Well, would ya like a tour?”

“Are you gonna be my tour guide?” You teased. 

Joel nodded, “I’ll make sure you won’t get lost.”

You felt butterflies in your tummy and your cheeks heating up at the offer. You couldn’t help but allow the smile to line your lips once more. “You promise?” 

“With me, you’ll be in good hands, darlin’.”

---

Part 2.

#pedro pascal #pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal fanfic #joel miller #joel miller fanfic #joel miller fanfiction #the last of us #the last of us fanfiction #the last of us fanfic #tlou #tlou fanfiction #tlou fanfic #joel x reader #joel miller x reader #story: the teacher

[mandoalorian]

Look For The Light [Joel Miller x F!Reader]

Prologue: Part I

Summary: You are a hardened survivor trying to navigate your way in a post-apocolyptic world when you bump into an old friend who goes by the name of Joel Miller.

Warnings: the reader is slightly younger than Joel, say a 10-year age gap? All TLOU relevant warnings such as gore, violence, guns, drugs, and cursing. Joel has an anxiety disorder which parallels his portrayal in the games. Diet talk. Expect smut later on… [Please do not read if you are under the age of 18!]

Author’s Note: I can’t believe it has taken me so long to write a full-blown Joel fic. Those of you who know me well know that I became a fan of TLOU in 2019, just a year before I became a fan of Pedro. I was elated when it was announced he’d been cast as Joel and thus far, I am thrilled with his performance and the many themes of the TV show that have stayed true to the game/s. It is everything I could’ve asked for, and more. I feel as though there is no better person qualified to write a ‘re-write’ per-se of the game/TV show, and I aim to release chapters in time for the new episodes coming out. 

Word count: 6,800 words.

Masterlist | Want to support me? | Listen to 'Look For The Light' on Spotify

<Please remember to reblog to show your love and support! Reblogs give me the motivation to continue the series, and motivation means that I’m able to pump out chapters quicker than usual!>

________________________________________________

Sarah had been sitting on the patio since she finished middle school at noon, waiting for her dad to come home from work. Every school in the US was let out early today for some unknown reason. Government orders. But when Sarah’s dad called her at four-thirty and told her that he’d be home at nine, she thought little of it. This often happened, especially this season. With it just being him and Tommy, working on big contracting jobs often took some time, but Joel often reassured Sarah that it was better that way. Despite their constant brotherly bickering, Joel and Tommy were hard workers and made an excellent team. When Joel heard how disappointed Sarah was that he would be home late, he told her that she could take some money out of his wallet, which was located in his bedside drawer. He told her she could order a pizza and stay up late to watch a movie, and if she got bored waiting up for him, then she could visit their neighbours—the Adlers. They weren’t remarkable company, but they were kind people and they adored Sarah.

Sarah’s mind worked fast as soon as her father hung up the call and it didn’t take long for her to concoct a plan. If she recalled correctly, there was a cheese pizza in the freezer, so instead of ordering take-out, she opted to take her dad’s money and his favourite (yet broken) watch to the jewellers to get fixed. Luckily it wasn’t too far and she managed to get there before five, which was closing time. Sarah was elated that she was able to do this for her father. He always complained about his broken watch, and he was so busy that he was never given the opportunity to get it fixed.

She placed the broken watch on the counter, alongside a twenty-dollar bill, and she offered the gentleman who worked in the store a small wave ‘hello’. He was an older man with white hair and crow’s feet by the corner of his eyes, a sign that he’d smiled a lot during his lifetime. 

“Oh, hey Sarah. How’s your dad?” The man, who according by his nametag, went by Eric, enquired while picking up the wristwatch and examining the damage. 

“He’s good, thanks. Working late tonight,” Sarah hummed absent-mindedly while she admired the many antiques and trinkets which were dotted around the store. This wasn’t your traditional jeweller—but somewhat of a pawn shop where you could buy the occasional bracelet or diamond ring. “Actually, it’s his birthday tomorrow. Was hoping to get his favourite watch fixed.”

Eric chuckled heartedly. “Well, you’re in luck, kid. Looks like it just needs a new battery. That’ll get it ticking again.” After a few short moments, he returned the repaired watch to Sarah. Eric slid the twenty-dollar bill back over to her.

“No no,” Sarah surrendered her hands. “That’s your payment,” Sarah put the watch in her backpack. “Please take it.”

“Your father is a good man, and you’re a sweet kid—doing this for him. Don’t worry about the payment, I—” Just as he was about to finish his sentence, an older woman came charging into the front of the store, appearing panicked and dishevelled. “Honey, what’s the matter?”

Sarah identified the woman as the shopkeeper’s wife and noted her shaky hands and rapid movements. She was in a frenzy.

“We have to close the store,” the woman said quickly. 

“What? Why?”

“We have to close the store!” the woman repeated this time shouting, and switching over the ‘Open’ sign to read ‘Closed’. She then turned to Sarah and grabbed the young girl by her arms. “You need to go home. Now.”

“Wh—is everything—” Sarah couldn’t even finish her sentence when the lady began to push her out the front door. Within seconds, the door to the store slammed shut and locked, and the blinds flew down. 

Sarah stood outside the jewellers for a few moments, her brain trying to register everything that had just happened. It wasn’t until an abundance of fire trucks and police cars zoomed past her; their sirens were deafeningly loud. Sarah heard some screams in the distance and took that as her sign to head home. She hoped that her dad would get home at nine as he promised.

The streets were eerily quiet on the walk home, and there wasn’t a soul in sight. Sarah noted the lack of cars on the road. She wanted to take her time to travel back to her neighbourhood—after all, her father wouldn’t be back for hours and she had plenty of time to kill, but the more she began to think about the things she had seen, the more she found her footsteps were speeding up into a fast pace.

When Sarah arrived home, she fumbled with the keys to unlock the front door. The sky was growing dark now and she wondered what she could do with herself to keep occupied while she waited for Joel to return home. Mrs Adler, the Miller’s neighbour, called for her, and Sarah turned to see the nice lady relaxing on the front porch, next to her mother who was much older. Sarah picked up the keys and pondered across the Adlers’ front lawn, and over to their porch, greeting Mrs Adler.

Sarah spent the rest of the evening with the Adler’s and their dog, Mercy. By eight-thirty, Sarah headed home, but not before taking ‘Curtis and Viper 2’ from Mrs Adler’s DVD shelf. Mrs Adler was fine with Sarah taking the movie. She described it as a boyish film, anyway. Sarah watched the movie and cooked her frozen pizza. By midnight, she found herself becoming increasingly worried about why her dad hadn’t returned home at nine like he had promised. Usually, she would be okay with it, knowing the nature of his job-- but with the strange occurrences that had been happening today, something felt off. 

The pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the velvet night sky. When Joel finally pulled up into the driveway, he sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. He wasn’t getting enough sleep, and he was beginning to feel the effects of the long laborous hours on the same damn job. Tommy left at nine but Joel stayed back for a few hours to tie up loose ends. At least now he was paid, and he could forget all about it. He remained in his seat for a little while, listening to the end of the radio broadcast.

“—Indonesian minister of health released a statement today stating that the government is doing everything in their power to maintain the spread of the Cordyceps infection in Jakarta.”

Joel turned off the radio and left his truck. His mind was far too preoccupied to understand the severity of what was going on in the world around him. As he sauntered to the front patio, he cursed himself for being home so late knowing that Sarah would have been disappointed in him.

To his surprise, he heard Sarah’s voice the second he opened the front door. She’d stayed up for him.

“You said you’d be home at nine,” Sarah grumbled, her lips pulling into a frown as Joel walked through the front door. Her eyes felt heavy but she had stayed awake this long, anticipating her father’s return. She wasn’t going to fall asleep now. Her determined mind stopped her from doing that. The young girl looked up at the wall clock above the television and her frown deepened. “It’s almost one in the mornin’.”

Joel removed his brown work jacket and brushed down his t-shirt before sliding out of his shoes and shuffling into the living room. The room was illuminated by the amber lantern on the coffee table. His gaze was immediately drawn to a little brown moth, hazily dancing around the lantern before settling down atop it. If he was in his usual teasing mood, he would have pointed the moth out to Sarah, knowing it would scare her, but instead, Joel just ignored the insect and slumped down onto the sofa. Joel spread his legs and leaned back, pulling out a yawn. What a day.

“I’m sorry kid,” Joel finally said, feeling a genuine sense of guilt. “Rough day. Bad traffic.”

At least that wasn’t a lie. The roads had been hectic, with people swerving chaotically and more sirens in the neighbourhood than Joel had ever heard. 

Sarah hummed knowingly. She’d been hearing the panic outside too, and the news broadcasts on the television had been secretly terrifying her to the point she couldn’t bear to watch. Something about an infection from Jakarta having sightings in the city. Not much was known about it, but Sarah was just glad she lived on the outskirts of Austin, Texas.

She’d be okay and so would her dad. 

That’s all that mattered.

“Sweetie, what are you still doing up? It is way past your bedtime.”

“Oh! But I got you something,” Sarah beamed and reached down the side of the sofa, bringing up a white box. Joel looked at Sarah with surprised eyes and held the weighty box in his hand.

He opened the box, not exactly sure what to expect from his fourteen-year-old daughter, only for it to be revealed that she had gotten his favourite watch fixed. The watch had been broken for quite some time and Joel, being the busy man that he was, never got the chance to fix it.

When Joel didn’t respond to the gift, Sarah interjected, feeling the need to explain herself. “You kept complaining about your broken watch so I figured…”

“I—honey, I love it but I think it’s broken,” Joel tapped the watch face and held it to his ear, checking to hear for its ticks. Sarah, in a panic, grabbed her dad’s wrist to inspect the watch for herself, only to see that it was working in perfect order.

“Oh ha ha.” Sarah mocked as her father snorted a chuckle.

“Where’d you get the money for this?” He inquired, quirking an inquisitive eyebrow.

“Drugs. I sell hardcore drugs.” Sarah joked with a smirk, pleased with herself for getting her dad a present that he truly liked.

“Oh good. You can help out with the mortgage then.” Joel countered and Sarah laughed, snuggling into her dad and resting her head on his lap.

“You wish.”

Joel turned on the television and despite it being late, settled on an old war movie to watch. Sarah hated those old black-and-white films, and it didn’t take her long to fall asleep. Taking his daughter in his arms, Joel picked up Sarah, carried her upstairs, and tucked her into bed. Placing a kiss on her forehead, Joel remembered just how lucky he was to have Sarah in his life. She kept him grounded—she kept him sane—and she gave him reason to keep going. 

By the time morning rolled around, Sarah was the first to wake up, as usual. Joel pressed snooze on his alarm three times, before his fourth and final alarm—being Sarah—came into his bedroom, opened up the curtains and let in the blinding golden sunlight which enveloped him. Joel winced as he felt the rays burn his skin, and turned over, putting a pillow over his head in frustration.

“Get up, dad,” Sarah announced. “It’s your birthday and I am making you special birthday pancakes.”

The pancakes were more so for Sarah, but her dad’s birthday was the best excuse to make them. She’d make rainbow funfetti pancakes with cream and syrup and strawberries. They were her all-time favourite breakfast. If he was lucky, she might have even stuck a candle in the top and sung ‘Happy Birthday’ to him.

That got Joel’s attention. “Birthday pancakes?”

“Be downstairs, dressed, in five minutes,” Sarah said before leaving her father’s bedroom.

Joel crawled out of his warm bed, the pancakes being the only motivation he had to actually get up, and pulled over the same navy blue t-shirt that he was wearing the day before. Buckling up the belt of his dark wash denim jeans, he shuffled down the stairs and into the kitchen.

“I don’t smell pancakes,” Joel frowned. “But I do smell coffee.”

Already preparing her father’s daily black espresso, Sarah sighed. “We don’t have any flour,” she replied, just as disappointed as he was. “You must’ve forgotten to pick it up. I guess you forgot the birthday cake too?”

“Damn it,” Joel huffed, realising that hopping to the grocery store yesterday must have completely slipped his mind. “That’s okay baby girl, I’ll make eggs.”

Eggs were fine, but they weren’t part of her convoluted plan to give her dad the best birthday imaginable. Sarah supposed that it would be okay and that the both of them were still able to spend the day together.

Sarah placed her dad’s coffee on the table. “Your shirt is inside out.”

The young girl helped her dad set the table and poured out some orange juice before taking her seat and eating her breakfast. After fixing his shirt, Joel sat down and turned on the television before digging at his eggs.

‘BREAKING NEWS: Cordyceps Brain Infection comes from contaminated food, spokesperson says. Total number of infected rises to 5000.’

“5,000?” Sarah repeated in disbelief. “Where is this infection spreading?”

“Jakarta,” Joel replied, stuffing a mouthful of bacon into his mouth. “Heard about it on the radio yesterday. Those poor people…”

“What kind of food is contaminated?” Sarah asked, to which Joel could only shrug in response.

“I don’t know honey, but don’t worry. We’re fine over here.”

Just as Joel and Sarah were finishing up their eggs and bacon, they overheard the front door swing open.

“Well well well, happy birthday old man,” Tommy Miller strolled into the kitchen with ease ruffling his older brother’s already messy bed hair playfully.

“Old man?” Joel countered, dropping his fork to the plate and acting mockingly offended.

“Old. Degenerate,” Tommy corrected and Sarah stifled a laugh. “Hey, I thought we were having birthday pancakes.”

“No flour.” Joel and Sarah replied simultaneously knowing that those two words offered enough of an explanation.

Tommy grumbled in dismay. “Well, in that case, I’ll see you guys later.”

When Tommy left, Sarah and Joel erupted into a fit of laughter. Tommy lived in the neighbourhood so it was often he would just pop in for a few minutes only to leave again. Now that he had the day off, Tommy would most likely spend his day in a bar playing pool, or hitting on girls that were way out of his league.

“No but seriously, what are we doing today?” Sarah asked, clearing her plate and heading over to the sink to wash her dishes.

“Well I got to pop out to the city for a little while. I promised an old friend I’d help her with a favour. You remember your old nanny?”

Sarah beamed at the memory of her. “Of course! Can I come with you?”

“No darling, I won’t be there long. She just wants me to take a look at her shower. She’s got a place up in Austin now.”

“Nice,” Sarah smiled. “She always did want to move to the city.”

“I should be back in time for dinner, and this time I’ll grab a birthday cake from the grocers,” Joel promised. Sarah offered him a hug.

“Okay daddy, do what you gotta do. I’ll see you later.”

The traffic was even worse than yesterday. The roads that led into the city were filled with people who were seemingly fleeing, all speeding in opposite directions. There was an accident on the quickest route so Joel found that he had to go through back alleys and side streets in order to get there as quickly and safely as possible. He didn’t understand why the roads were so hectic, and his mind was too preoccupied with the thought of seeing you again after so long.

Joel wasn’t sure whether or not he had done the right thing when it came to rejecting the new contracting job that was proposed by a local business, only to take on a free favour for the girl who used to babysit his daughter. You had done more than enough favours for the Miller family; having been there for Sarah ever since she was a little girl. If Joel had to be honest with himself; you were as much of an influence on Sarah as he could’ve hoped for. Being a young, single dad had its difficulties and Joel’s job often meant that he had to work long hours away from his daughter. As Sarah got older she understood why her dad would have to leave so early in the morning and come back so late at night. He was simply doing it to take care of her.

But when he wasn’t around, you were the reliable force that protected Sarah and watched over her during the day. You took her to kindergarten and later elementary school. You sat with her during the late evenings, helped with her homework and even cooked her dinner. Despite the ten-year age gap between you and Sarah, the two of you had become quite close, and according to Joel, you were simply a terrific girl; well-mannered and gentle. Your personality had an influence on Sarah, and Joel certainly couldn’t complain about that. He was so proud of his daughter. That’s why Joel was prepared to do this job as a favour to you, much to Tommy’s dismay.

Tommy being Tommy, always had something to complain about.

“This is un-fucking-believable. You got to earn a living Joel—and I do too. You sacrificed a legitimate job to help fix Sarah’s old nanny’s bathroom plumbing. And shit man, you ain’t even a plumber.” Tommy was midway ranting to Joel on the phone when he pulled up outside your apartment. After moving out of your family home, you found a place in central Austin, where you were living with your boyfriend. The commute to work was much easier now that you lived in the city. You’d scored a secretary job in a corporate office down on Congress Avenue. 

“We are doing fine for business,” Joel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. It was times like this when Joel would wonder about the fine line between love and tolerance. Tommy was never going to let his brother forget about this. “I just owe this girl some favours.”

“You just want to get in her pants.” Tommy snarked back, the vulgar words dripping from his tongue.

“And you better watch your mouth boy,” Joel warned, his tone darkening as he immediately found himself getting ticked off by his brother’s comment. Tommy was always one to jump to accusations. “Just a favour.” Joel reminded before promptly hanging up the call. 

Joel slid his cell into his jean pocket and took a deep breath. He hadn’t seen you in months. Not since you moved away. He felt his palms get just a little sweaty with nerves as he approached the front door to your building. Apartment number 13. After a brief moment of coaching himself, Joel pressed the button to buzz into your apartment.

“It’s me—Joel—uh, Miller—Joel Mil—” where were these nerves coming from?

“Come up!” your cheery voice interrupted him and he heard the electronic front door click open. Joel said a silent prayer hoping that you couldn’t sense his anxiety through the intercom. He had forgotten to take his medication that morning.

Noticing the elevator was out of order, Joel had no choice but to take the many flights of stairs that led up to your place. The walls in the hallway were painted a dingy brown and several cracks laced the webbed corners. When he got to your floor, he wiped away the beads of sweat that laced his hairline and noticed that the door to your apartment was already wide open, beckoning him to come in.

He lingered outside for a moment hesitantly, peeking around your front room; but you were nowhere in sight. He scratched the back of his neck before calling your name. It would be rude to just enter your apartment without you knowing. 

When there was no response, Joel called your name again. He proceeded to take a step into your apartment and shut the door behind him. It was very small; just a sofa and a small TV and a bookshelf in the corner. Your kitchen was adjoined to your living room, and there were only two rooms towards the back. He assumed one must have been your bedroom, and the other… he heard a rush of water running. The bathroom.

The door was shut and Joel took a few steps, calling your name as he got closer and closer to the bathroom.

“I’m in here!” you called back. “Uh—you can come in—but please don’t laugh.”

Joel quirked his eyebrow as he pondered what could be beyond the door. He slowly reached down to the door handle. 

“Are ‘ya… are you decent?” Joel asked awkwardly, noting that the shower was still running.

Another moment of silence before your timid voice responded. “…I suppose…” 

Joel pushed down on the bronze door handle and let himself into the bathroom, only to be enveloped by warm, thick, humid air coming from the running shower. His immediate response was to choke back a cough as he squinted his eyes, trying to navigate where exactly you were hiding. You were behind the fogged-up shower glass, on your knees and sopping wet. You made no effort to remove yourself from the running water, even when Joel had already entered the room. You were adamant you could get this fixed yourself.

“Damn it!” you cursed loudly, finally withdrawing yourself from the shower and crawling out of the bathtub. You were never one to give up easily, but meddling with this shower was like fighting a losing battle.

You looked up at Joel whose large hand was covering the smirk that grazed his lips. He was trying so hard not to laugh at you. His broad shoulders were adorned by a brown jacket and his dark locks of hair seemed to be adorned with just a few grey specks—and hell, if he wasn’t staring at you with the utmost judgement—you might have even considered just how attractive he looked.

“You good?” Joel chuckled, the corners of his chocolate eyes creasing with elation. You stood up to meet his level, ignoring the fact your t-shirt was now stuck to your skin and water droplets were falling from your hair.

“Do I look good?” you snarked back, narrowing your eyes.

“Well—” Joel raised an eyebrow, eyeing you up and down. You felt your cheeks heat up under his gaze and you sheepishly looked down at your feet, hoping he wouldn’t catch your earnest reaction. “What happened?”

“Thought I could be all big and clever and try and fix this damn shower by myself,” you admitted, feeling silly for even giving it a try. “Thought that if I fixed it, I wouldn’t have had to waste your time.”

“Ah,” Joel nodded, stepping aside from you and hesitantly approaching the shower. A few stray streams of water jumped out at him. “You ain't ever wasting my time.”

You fiddled with your thumbs as Joel pulled out a wrench from his back pocket. Without hesitating, he stepped under the hot water and began to adjust the shower faucet, tightening the metal valve located under the head of the shower. The wrench kept slipping however and Joel ended up placing it on the side of the tub, opting to use his strength to tighten the valve. You watched as his grip tightened against the faucet controls, his biceps flexing as he let out a quiet grunt. The main flow of water came to a halt and the condensation in the room began to slowly fizzle away. Small drips of water fell from the leaky showerhead, but for the most part, Joel fixed your problem in just a matter of minutes.

Scratching the back of his neck, Joel ran his finger down one of the pipes that joint into the valve. “You might need to get your pipes checked, could be rust or—”

“Fungus,” you cut him off. “It’s gross, I know, but a neighbour was telling me she had the same problem with the faucet in her kitchen. Damn water wouldn’t stop running. She had some guys come around and they found this gross, fungus-type thing growing in the pipes.”

Joel made no effort to hide the disgusted look on his face. 

You sighed, knowing you’d have to call a plumber over to investigate your shower further. You really didn’t need the extra expense right now. But then you remembered just how grateful you were that Joel travelled all this way to do you the favour of fixing your shower—even if it was a temporary solution. You walked over to the man and gently interlinked your fingers with his, your cautious movements taking Joel by surprise. 

“Come on,” you said softly. “It’s slippery. Let me help you out of the tub.” You noted how your hand fit in his. It was much smaller, and even though you wanted him to hold onto you for support, it felt more like you were holding onto him.

Joel graciously took a step out of the tub, and you realised he didn’t need to hold onto you whatsoever. You took a towel from the radiator and wrapped it around his shoulders; a pathetic attempt at getting him dry.

“I should’ve brought a change of clothes.” he huffed, running his now empty hand through his short hair.

“I have something that might fit,” you smiled. “I mean—not my clothes of course, but my boyfriend, Michael… well, he’s probably the same size as you.”

Boyfriend?

It took a second for Joel to register the word. For some reason, he’d made the assumption you didn’t have a boyfriend. But then again, it had been a while since he last saw you, and now you lived in the city with your corporate job and your brand-new life. Just when Joel thought he knew everything about you, he realised that there was now so much more for him to learn. He followed you into your small, box-shaped bedroom and into the closet.

You searched through a pile of clean laundry that was mixed with both yours and Michael’s clothes. 

“If you see anything you like, just take it. Michael won’t mind.” You offered.

Despite your assurance, Joel reluctantly knelt and searched through the pile of clothes. Amongst your many shirts, pants and colourful pyjamas, Joel finally found a light grey sweater and a pair of matching sweatpants to wear. As he pulled them out from under the pile, he couldn’t help but notice a lace lingerie set that was placed delicately underneath. Deliberately, at the bottom of the pile. His eyes were drawn to the piece and his grip on the grey fabric tightened as he imagined you wearing the set. The thoughts invaded his mind without choice and Joel cursed himself for not fighting them away.

He finally stood up and turned to face you, only to immediately retract back when he saw you pull off your t-shirt. Catching a glimpse of your bare back, Joel swallowed the lump in his throat and turned to face the poorly painted wall behind him, not wanting you to feel uncomfortable upon you discovering that he had seen you like that.

You had in fact told him that you were going to change out of your wet clothes too—around about the same time he noticed your lingerie. He was just too distracted to have heard.

Dropping your soaking wet jeans to the floor and letting them pool around your ankles, you pulled up your favourite, fleece-lined black leggings and wrapped your wet hair into a towel. Now dry and cosy, you turned back around to Joel who was staring at the concrete wall, waiting patiently for you to have finished.

“Joel?” you asked.

“Y—yeah?” Joel stuttered, clutching onto the sweats. 

“You found something to wear?”

“Yeah.” Joel confirmed, smiling softly and showing you the grey sweats that he had picked out, almost as if he was asking permission—again—as to whether or not he could take them. 

He was such a sweetheart.

“Perfect,” you returned his smile. “You can get changed in here. I’m going to head into the kitchen.”

Before Joel could reply, you left your bedroom and gently closed the door behind you, allowing Joel to get changed in privacy.

You opened up the refrigerator and took out a batch of chocolate chip cookies that you’d baked the night before. Heating them up in the microwave, you prepared them neatly on a plate and placed them down atop the small table that segregated your kitchen from your living room.  Just as you were finishing up presenting the cookies, Joel exited your bedroom and you felt your heart blossom in your chest when you caught sight of him.

You were so used to seeing Michael wear those same grey sweats all the time, you hadn’t even prepared yourself for how they’d look on Joel. For the same garments, you’d imagine they would look identical—but you couldn’t have been more wrong. They fit on Joel’s body like a glove and tugged on him in all the right places. The light colour highlighted his slender waist and broad shoulders, and the way the waistband around his sweatpants was just ever so slack…

Joel cleared his throat and you felt your cheeks heat up as you snapped out of your daydream. 

“Looks good,” You nodded your head with positive affirmation and then your eyes quickly darted to the cookies on the table behind you. “Cookies!” you announced, happy to have found a reason to change the subject. Joel shuffled towards you and eyed up the plate of cookies.

“Oh wow—chocolate chip?” Joel smiled. “Those are my favourite.”

“Sarah’s too,” you beamed. “I remembered. Would you like to try one?”

“I—I would love too,” Joel grinned and extended his arm over to the plate. But then he abruptly stopped himself. “But—ah, I’m on Atkins. And I’m doing so well…”

“What’s that?”

“Oh,” Joel grumbled. “Just this dumb diet thing. I’ve basically been cutting out carbs. Lasted nearly two weeks so far.” 

Your frown deepened at his admittance. “That doesn’t sound healthy…” 

“No, well, neither is this.” Joel prodded his tummy. 

You wanted to tell him not to diet—that he didn’t need to. That his body was damn well gorgeous just the way it was.

But you didn’t want to overstep any boundaries.

“Take them home for Sarah?” you offered.

“She’d love that,” Joel smiled and inched towards you. There was barely any distance separating you both now, and you couldn’t recall a time when you had been this close to one another. “Thank you.” His words were so genuine, so real, that they sparked butterflies in the pit of your tummy and you held back a smile. You held it back because, without any restraint, you’d be grinning like an excited little girl. 

“How is Sarah?” you asked, looking up at Joel.

If you took just one step forward, your chest would be touching his. 

“She’s good,” his voice had lowered an octave and that Southern twang in his accent became all the more prominent. “I’m sure she’d like to see you. You should come over sometime for movie night.”

“I—I would love that,” you admitted. Movie night with Joel and Sarah… just like the old days.

“She’s really into those horror movies now she’s getting older…” 

It was like some kind of mystic energy was pulling you both closer to each other. It wasn’t conscious, and the movements were small, but as your bodies got closer together you noticed the way Joel’s voice trailed off into eventual complete silence. And then, like magic, the curve of his nose bumped into yours and you let out a small giggle. The proximity of each other felt so intimate and yet you couldn’t bear to draw away from him. You wanted him to touch you, hold you, bump noses with you again… 

Joel’s eyes became dark and lust-filled as his gaze flicked down towards your mouth. Your eye line followed his and you observed his pretty pink lips that were framed by his moustache, all the same. You both wanted the same thing.  He wanted to kiss you, softly and delicately—and he wanted to cradle your face as he relished the moment. And equally, you wondered what it would be like to kiss him, if his light stubble would graze your skin or if it would tickle you and make you erupt into a fit of giggles. You wondered if his hair would be rough and brassy or soft and fluffy. 

You cautiously extended your arms and placed both your hands into his still-damp hair, threading your fingers through the roots to the tips. As a response, Joel closed his eyes and hummed in contentment, the vibrations in his chest sending chills through your own body. His own hands swung down to your hips and he bravely pulled you in closer to him. 

Joel opened his eyes and brought one hand up to your shoulder and then gently cupped the side of your cheek. You leaned into his palm and he swept his thumb over your bottom lip. Bumping noses with you again, this time he did not draw back. You could feel his breath fan over your lips and you pushed your chest into him and opened your mouth when---

Ring.    Ring.    Ring.    

The alert of Joel’s ringtone made him jolt back from you and stumble even a few steps further. You stood there, as still as could be, your brain desperately trying to piece together what just happened. 

You almost kissed Joel Miller.

“Shit, it’s Tommy,” Joel explained. “I should take this.”

Breathlessly, you nodded, and all Joel could do was shoot you an apologetic look before flipping open his phone and holding it to his ear.

“Joel—Joel—I need you to come to pick me up. I’m in jail.” A brief moment of static buzzed through the line but Joel heard Tommy loud and clear. He wished he had misheard.

“You what—” Joel placed a hand on his hip, taking a second to process his little brother’s words. “Why the hell are you in jail, Tommy? What did you do?”

Your eyes widened when you heard what was going on. Tommy in trouble?

“I—it wasn’t my fault—”

“It never is,” Joel grimaced.

“I was at Linkin’s Bar down by the Creek and some guy just started attackin’ Isabella. Grabbed a hold of her and wouldn’t let go… so I smashed a bottle in his face. Knocked him to the ground. That showed the fucker.”

“Jesus Christ Tommy,” Joel sighed.

“You’d do the same,” Tommy called out. “Isabella’s only small, and she couldn’t defend herself. Anyway—I need you to come to the County Jail and bail me out. I’ll pay you back, I promise. I just can’t stand to spend another moment in here.”

“Alright, I’m on my way, but I’m in Austin. Will take me a while to drive back up that way.”

“Just get here quick,” Tommy practically begged. “I—I think there’s something wrong with the officer. He keeps twitchin’ all funny. People have been acting weird, Joel.”

Joel shook his head and let out a deep sigh. “Whatever Tommy, I’m on my way.”

As soon as Joel put his cell back in his pocket, you placed a caring hand on his forearm. “Is Tommy okay?”

“He’s always getting into trouble, that boy.” Joel sighed. 

“You take care of your brother. You’re a good guy,” you said softly. “Maybe… maybe we can plan that movie night for tomorrow, huh? I get off work at five.”

Joel smiled. A good guy. That was all he wanted to be. And making plans for movie night with Sarah? Joel felt a buzz in his chest. She would love to see you again. “That sounds good.” He said casually, trying to hide the fact he was beaming inside. 

“Alright,” you returned his smile and then nudged his side playfully. “I’ll see you tomorrow then. And I’ll bring the cookies.”

“See ‘ya.” 

Joel turned around and left the apartment without another word and you stood there, your heart racing, still reeling from what had happened just minutes prior. You’d hardly lost track of time when Michael came through the front door. 

“Hey, who was that guy I just saw leaving? He kinda looked like me.”

Michael wished he looked like Joel, but you assumed that remark was made in reference to the outfit that Joel had ‘borrowed’.

“I—” immediately you felt defensive. Not that you needed to be, because technically, nothing happened. Was there any need to be defensive over mere feelings? “It was the plumber.”

“Oh. He fixed the shower?” Michael asked, stealing a cookie from the batch you had baked. 

“Yeah—hey! Don’t eat those. They aren’t for you.” You warned, but Michael was already swallowing his first piece.

“Huh?” Michael chortled. “It’s not like you need to eat them, looks like you’ve eaten enough already.” He said with a snide look. 

You felt your jaw slacken slightly at the comment and resisted the urge to tell him exactly just who this ‘plumber’ guy was, and how much you wished you had kissed him in that heat of the moment. 

You didn’t respond but instead watched Michael eat two more cookies. Your lips curled into a frown, knowing you’d have to bake another batch, but at least this time they would be fresh for tomorrow’s movie night. 

For the first time in weeks, Joel felt he was finally able to relax. He took the drive home slow and steady and turned up the car radio to drown out the ongoing sirens in the distance. The song ‘Future Days’ by Pearl Jam played, and Joel decided he would take up learning it on the guitar when he got home. Now that he had a few days off from work, he could put his feet up and do whatever he wanted. He looked forward to seeing you tomorrow, but now he just had to head on to the grocers, like he had promised Sarah, and pick out a birthday cake.

He found a red velvet one with buttercream icing, knowing it was more Sarah’s favourite than his own. Joel liked fruitcake but he knew that if he brought a fruitcake home for Sarah, she’d just sit there disgusted and pick out the raisins. He’d rather she was satisfied.

Joel brought the red velvet cake to the cashier and opened up his wallet, preparing to pay.

“I’m sorry sir,” the lady behind the desk said. “I can’t sell you this. I’m afraid all wheat-based products are being recalled due to the Cordyceps Brain Infection.”

Joel furrowed his eyebrows together in bewilderment. “The Cordyceps--? I thought that was all the way in Jakarta?”

“You haven’t heard--?”

Just then, alarms began ringing in the grocery store and an automated voice boomed through the speakers. The cashier froze and her eyes widened as soon as she recognised the voice. “This is an automated message. This is a red alert warning from the United States government and the CISA. Please stop what you are doing and return home immediately. Lock your doors. Do not let anyone inside.”

The message repeated repeatedly, and the entire store erupted into a panic; including the cashier standing before Joel. 

“What the hell is happening?” Joel asked, his gaze darting around the store. He watched a stampede of people head towards the fire exit, clambering and yelling frantically.

“You have to go.” The cashier replied before running off into the crowd.

Joel headed towards the entrance, thinking he could leave that way where it was less crowded. He had no comprehension of what was happening, but he knew for certain he wouldn’t leave Tommy behind.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Prologue: Part II

#Joel miller #Pedro pascal #Pedro pascal x reader #Joel miller x reader #the last of us #tlou #smut

[insomnya777]

Hello! First I want to say I adore your boat boys super power AU so much, it’s currently rotating at light speed in my brain like a broken microwave. I think I’ve read at least six times all the way through with what you have, it’s fantastic!

I was also wondering if you had any other recs or personal favorites for boat boys fics, or just fics in general, I’m always looking for recommendations and wonderful authors usually also have great tastes in other fics as well! Thank you for what you do for the boat boy and smalletho community, you’re keeping us well fed lol

Oh my god I have many many recommendations!!!! I've actually been waiting for someone to ask me this LOL

Completed:

Settled is one of my favourites of all-time. If you read it you'll see the long ass comment I left on it lol. Description: A five plus one type of fic where Etho struggles to voice his feeling about double-life, and Joel is there to make it harder.

BIR Universe is a classic, a staple, even. One of the most iconic series of all time. Description: A very messy college universe with a bunch of hermitcraft/life series members.

Somehow, I always end up back in Marianas Trench is another personal favourite. I reread it way too often. The writing is incredible in this one + has a side of ranchers and impdubs. Description: AU where our three favourite soulbound couples go on a triple date! Except it's not a date, all of them broke up sometime before or during their last year of college and none of them are over each other.

Holy Father, judge my sins is so, so good. Anything by giddyfenix always is, I think I've read, like, all of their works. Description: Joel and Etho as the seven deadly sins. After all, what were they if not corrupted?

I Don't Smoke (Except for When I'm Missing You) made my heart break a million times over. I actually cannot read this fic without breaking down. It is a clockers-centered fic, exploring the Etho-Scar relationship, but I had to include it because it's just one of my favourite fics of all time. Description: A look into Etho's perspective on the life he and Scar share. They're not so different, you know? They both like to run away.

Works In Progress:

to all the ships at sea is another personal favourite, because the writing is just so, so good. There are currently six chapters out! Description: Etho has a job as part of the crew manning a lighthouse on a small island. With Cleo and Bdubs gone for a few weeks, Etho settles in to keep the Light running single-handedly. He wasn't expecting his life to be turned upside-down when a visitor turns up on the island, completely out of the blue...and he definitely wasn't expecting to develop feelings for the mysterious young man.

Good Luck, Babe is also very, very good. There are seven chapters out right now! Description: Etho couldn't get himself to turn Joel down. Even when Joel has made it clear time and time again that he had no problem doing the same to him. The lengths he was willing to go for a guy who would barely even let them be seen together in public...

hi, etho is super cute, too. I read it a while ago, and it's still one of my favourites, so do what you will with that. Description: About a month after going missing and having no memories to show for it, Etho gets a weird letter from a strange, anonymous sender who might have the answers to his questions.

And that's about it!! If anyone has more recommendations feel free to comment or leave in the tags because I'm always looking for more fics LOL <3

#my asks #boat boys #smalletho #hermitfic #trafficfic

[amethystfairy1]

(Buckle up, this is gonna be a long one.)

Hi! Hello! How are you? :]

Let me just say, your work is simply incredible.

I've been binge-reading your TTSBC series for a few days now, as you can probably tell from all the kudos (you deserve them!), and I have been going crazy

First of all, I think this was the first Hermitcraft ship fic I've read. Conclusions/thoughts;

1) You've made me a flower husbands fan, great job, I am now obsessed with them

2) the relationship between Scott and Martyn is so precious to me, you have no idea

3) I am now a fan of ALL the relationships you've written; flower husbands, treebark, desert duo, Tango/Zed, Lizzie/Joel, Shelby/ Katherine, Etho/Doc (I hope I didn't forget anyone)

4) PEARL IS A MENACE AND I LOVE HER. SHE IS MY FAVOURITE, YOU HAVE NO IDEA. She is the big sister™ and she is the best

5)Scar is a sweetheart and that is a FACT. HE WAS SO SWEET TO CUB?? AND TO GRIAN?? I LOVE HIM

6) I absolutely love mom Cleo, her and Bdubs are so kind and thoughtful and caring to each other, I will simply explode

7) KATHERINE STRAIGHT UP JUST SAID "nope" AND WENT BACK TO THE UNDER-CITY

8) I need more Scott as a journalist. I need to see his hunger to get all the details. I need to see him use his silver-tongue skills on someone, and I need to see Jimmy(or anyone) be scared but also fascinated. I need to see more Scott and Pearl fighting for the best interview.

I don't even watch cc!Scott, and now look at me. Im obsessed with his character.

9) PESKY BIRDS BEING LITTLE WAS THE CUTEST THING EVER I WILL CRY TEARS OF JOY. SMALL BDUBS?? CHILDREN ARE SO CUTE

10) I also,,, kinda,,, want to see someone react a bit badly to seeing their partner being from the under-city. Maybe,,, Martyn being angry with being lied to? Maybe,,, Scott screaming at him that what he's doing is helping no one? Maybe, maybe,,,,

(im secretly an angst-girlie at heart, what can I say. I love me some good hurt/comfort)

11)JOEL AND LIZZIE'S BACKSTORY IS ALL I NEEDED IN LIFE, I CAN NOW DIE HAPPILY

12) please let zed and tango have a happy ending pleasepleasepleasePLEASEPLE-

13) also the titles have all been so cool! I saw a post of yours that said you use terms of endearment, and I thought that was really cute :)

14) SOUP GROUP

In conclusion, I am crazy for your work, please feed us more.

To show you how crazy I've been over this series;

I went completely nuts, explaining to my friend some basics about it the moment I was sure I've read everything, and Im probably gonna make them read it too. I've already sent them the link to the series.

They are not even a Minecraft fan. They don't know what Hermitcraft is.

Anyway, this was all to say; you're amazing, your work is truly fantastic, your writing style is one of the best I've ever seen/read (and I've read a lot of fics, do not doubt me)

Please don't feel forced to write anything I've said! I'm just throwing ideas that came over my head when reading!

(your traveling thieves series is also amazing! Im just currently full of ttsbc thoughts rn, its eating me alive /pos)

Hope my spam liking was not annoying!

Have a great day!

:D

It was not annoying in the SLIGHTEST!

Hello hello, thank you, thank you! I'm so glad TTSBC has been so enjoyable for you and that you've had fun binge reading all of it!

I am delighted and honored to be the first author you've read that has written Hermitshipping and that you've enjoyed it and it's caused you to love all my ships! That's a great day for a fanfic author!!!

FLOWER HUSBANDS ARE MY FAVORITE! More people who like Flower Husbands? HAPPIER I AM! It is a DIRECT correlation!

Someone commented at some point that they reminded them of drunk girls comforting each other in the bathroom after a party, and I think that's exactly accurate 😆

YES! ALL THE SHIPS!

Pearl is the Big Sister ™️ of the group and if anyone hurts any of her little siblings it is game over!

Scar is SUCH a sweetheart in this AU! He's a superhero, he's a boyfriend, he's a best friend, he's a professor, and he's just doing his best to juggle it all!

Zom-Mom and Sentient Glowstick. Only the best combo!

Katherine said "Wait crap I think that was the love of my life!" and dove back in!"

Journalist Scott will be making a return in several pieces of the future, don't you worry! We'll get to see him strut his stuff! I'm very glad I've gotten you to love c!Scott even if you don't watch cc!Scott, that's just the best!

PESKY BIRRRRRRRBS!

ooooo there's an angsty take. Hm. Well, there is certainly more angst on the docket for everyone, I assure you, and while I can't promise that brand of angst in particular, there is other stuff left to unpack! Please look forward to it!

JOEL AND LIZZE! BUTTERFLY AND CAT LADY! MARRIED FOR OVER A DECADE AND RUNNING A BAKERY! ADORABLE!

Zedango will return! That is all I shall say!

I'm so glad you like the titles! I think it's very cute but I have to admit I'm starting to struggle to come up with terms of endearment I haven't used before 😆

SOUP GROUP

I'm so glad you're trying to get your friend into TTSBC! The nice thing is I don't think it's too terribly difficult to spring into without context of watching any of the CCs because the characters all pretty much explain themselves within the AU. Maybe looking up some fanart for what everyone ought to look like, but it's not the worst thing!

Glad to hear you also like Traveling Thieves! I was gonna point you that way when you said you were an angst girlie so good that you're already there!

Thanks so much for coming by! 💖

#fanfic #ao3 fanfic #hermitcraft #traffic smp #through the sky blue cracks #life series #hermitshipping #trafficshipping #empires smp

[macfrog]

Hi!! A couple things to share —

First, i just finished SCOM. You should be so proud of yourself for such an emotionally tactile story you’ve built, particularly in such a short timeline. I don't have kids and have made medical choices not to have kids, but reading this broke my heart in two thinking about how beautiful an experience this is for reader & Joel, and imagining this for myself in such a lovely way. It felt so real. I think you really captured people as they are. And I think that’s actually really hard to do in a sincere way. It’s easy to fall into dramatics as a writer, but to let feelings and experiences and nuance tell their own story isn’t easy. Idk if that makes sense but I hope it does 💕

Second, there’s so much shit going down in this fandom right now and being new to it all in the last 2 years and probably elderly at 35 years old I don’t really know what to make of it all, except to thank you for all the joy you’ve given me via your writing. I found CLM on AO3 and have since loved SoF and all your one shots. I’m not terribly vocal with comments etc bc I tend to lurk but I think you and so many other fic authors deserve so much credit for sharing your creativity and skills so freely. I have an English lit background and I’m constantly in awe of the storytelling gifts that exist across this fandom. You deserve more respect than you get and I’m sad to see so much negativity. Please know there are more supporters than you might think ❤️

hello! i hope you're well, non. this is so kind of you, thank you so much 🤍

that's what fiction is for, right? planting our feet in these worlds we wouldn't otherwise know, living through the characters. playing pretend for a little while. i had a lot of fun doing that while writing it so i'm honored you had the same fun reading it!

your second point - please feel free to lurk away for as long as you like! i totally get those feelings with everything that's been going on. it can be a lot sometimes. there are countless incredibly talented people who are genuinely wonderful humans in this corner of the internet, and i wish we all felt a little more comfortable to just exist and post our silly stories here.

i really, really appreciate you saying that 🤍 my vibe on here has always and will always be that as long as you're kind, you're welcome around here - in whichever way you'd like to be. lurk, like, reblog, send a message. whatever you feel comfortable doing, i'm more than happy for you to do. i think a lot of writers would feel the same! x

#your support never goes unnoticed and we all love you for it :) #chats w max #anon #fic luv

[avastrasposts]

Hello!

So I just realised about 300+ people decided to follow me and, I suppose, read my stories? And 300 is such a small number but to me it's surreal that so many of you want to read what I write!

So I thought I'd introduce myself a little, just to be polite you know, and be like those author blurbs they put on the inside flap of books. So read on if you want to know more about me and my writing, or just keep scrolling if you'd rather I remain a redheaded mystery with a thing for Frankie Morales.

Also, chapter 16 of The Pilot and his Girl will be posted tomorrow, it just needs another round of editing.

Also, again, this got long, so if you can't be bothered reading all my ramblings below the cut, I totally understand. I have a habit of getting wordy....

So, I'm in my 40's and I've been writing for most of my life, starting with embarrassing little short stories in adorable misspelled fashion when I was just wee. I aspired to be a journalist and then went on a completely different tangent career wise, ending up with a PhD in an area I no longer work in (fifteen years of higher education never to be touched again but you definitely want me on your team in a pub quiz!). I have vague memories of writing fan fiction in my early 20, I think? (I'm old, give me a break). But I only got back to it late last year as a way to kick start my imagination and discipline around writing again. I needed a creative outlet and writing is something I always enjoyed and found easy to do.

I live in England, in the amazing but fucking expensive city of London. I look pretty much like my profile picture, only more wrinkles and maybe a bit of silver in all that gingerness. I'm a very good cook and baker (Pedro, I'll teach you how to cook any day!) and I'm married to my very own sweet Latino man. He's not called Frankie but he does call me cariño. I have big chunk of family in Sweden and I speak a little bit of Swedish (it's actually where I am right now, we're over here celebrating midsummer).

I started writing fanfics for The Boys fandom and Karl Urban as I was binging the whole show after finishing season 4. Then I stumbled into the Pedro Pascal fandom as I watched The Last of Us.

TLoU has a very special place in my heart. I've been gaming since my early teens and bought a Playstation 3 after saving for months, my first console after playing on PC for years. When TLoU came out in 2013 I bought and played it straight away and I, like so many others, had an experience playing it. It's the only story, in any medium, that's made me cry after just 10-15 minutes of game play. The scene were Sarah dies, still gets me every time. And the rest of the game...I turned up at work the next week in a daze, just needing to tell people about this incredible story and experience I'd had. It was like no other game I'd ever played, before or since. And I've replayed the game about once a year since 2013. Back then, that kind of game was totally unique, there was nothing like it. Some games had explored stronger story telling elements, but not on this level, nothing came even close to creating such a bond between gamer and characters. Now days we're spoiled by powerful storytelling in video games, in 2013, The Last of Us was totally unique (sorry, I'm blabbering, but I could go on at length about TLoU and the impact it had).

So when I heard there was talks about turning into a tv-series, I was scared. Really worried. The gaming community have seen so many horrendous adaptations of video games, my beloved Assassin's Creed was butchered in 2016. But then I heard Pedro Pascal had been cast as Joel and I was carefully hopeful, and then Bella Ramsey as Ellie and I got really excited. I'd seen them both in Game of Thrones, both of their performances sticking in my mind. I even remember reading about Pedro being cast in GoT and looking him up and being disappointed because he looked nothing like I'd pictured the Red Viper when I read the books. But then he just swanned in and crushed it, he was so damn good, he won me over straight away. I can't imagine anyone else playing Oberyn.

And then of course, the first few trailers of TLoU dropped and we got glimpses of the show and I remember texting my equally TLoU obsessed friend and we squealed in delight at how good it looked! And the first time I heard the clicker sound....I shuddered, it was a very real physical reaction. If I'd been on the actual set and heard it, I think I would've run a mile.

And then, as I was still writing The British Connection, a fic set in The Boys fandom, I watched Triple Frontier, and, like so many others, fell hard for sweet Frankie Morales. So jumping the gun a bit, I decided to write something with him, just a drabble, to get used to writing him and to write in the Reader insert format. But it kind a grew in scope and when I had the idea of sticking him and the rest of the Triple Frontier boys into TLoU universe I knew I had to create something bigger.

Looking back I would've made the story tighter, less lengthy, had I known from the start that's where it was going to go. But part of the fun of fan fiction is posting as you go, I think. I get feedback from you guys and it makes me think of other elements to add to the story. There isn't always a set road map for how a fic is going to develop.

If you've made it this far, congratulations and thank you, I'm impressed you read all that rambling from some stranger on Tumblr! The Pilot and his Girl has a set plan now, I have chapters drawn up and although I'm not sure how many chapters I'm going to end up with, I know where the story is going. You'll find out what's happened to Pope, Will and Benny. And Joel and Tommy will of course come back to the story later on. There will be more trauma and angst as the story continues but there will be a happy ending, of sorts, in the end.

And again, thank you all for reading, commenting and reblogging! I love you all!

[falconearring]

Im curious since Im also trying to making one, how do you come up with the dialogue?

I showed my friend mines and they said it was bland (feedback of course and I understand because writing is my biggest weakness) just for planning it out.

Also I love your Au comic and that’s the reason why I started to make my own <33

HEY I feel very honored that my work has gotten you excited about comic making ^_^ Hopefully what I have to share here is useful to you!!

Obligatory disclaimer; I am not all knowing, and what makes dialogue interesting is subjective. This is just what I think about when I write!

A lot of what I'm about to say pertains to character and voice, because for me it goes hand in hand with dialogue. Characters reveal themselves through every thing they say and do, intentionally or not.

When you write dialogue, it's very tempting to just have a character directly convey what you as the author are trying to get across. I think one of the most common ways dialogue comes off bland is when its written in its most standard form. People don't generally speak in perfect grammar, and it can sometimes feel jarring to read a perfectly constructed sentence coming from a character. People stutter, pause, double back, speak in run on sentences and often don't get directly to the point in one go.

A character's manner of speaking is always informed by their personality, and their background. Oftentimes they'll embellish with unique turns of phrase, slang, or even terminology that pertains to something they're passionate about. When I write dialogue for Skizzleman I use a casual tone but I highlight his amicable nature. I wouldn't have him greet someone by saying "Hello, how are you?" Instead it feels more like him to say "How's it going, buddy?" Subtle things make a world of difference. If a character is blunt, they're not going to preface a statement with a bunch of fluff to soften the blow. So on and so forth.

Something I really enjoy in writing is exploring character dynamics. When characters have an interesting relationship, dialogue kind of writes itself. By that I mean, the way people feel about one another informs the way they address each other, and consequently it also informs the flow of a conversation. Some people think dialogue that doesn't directly advance the plot is just fodder, but that isn't necessarily true. Time spent developing characters is never wasted time, so long as you're not drawing attention to things that have already been made clear over and over. A lot of my favorite parts of what I've drawn in the comic so far don't actually have much to do with the plot; it's the parts where Joel and Etho have a back and forth of some kind, even if it didn't lead anywhere particularly meaningful. It just comes down to how their personalities clash in some ways and mesh together in others.

In short, interesting dialogue is spawned from having a good understanding of the character. From there, the things the character says will be punctuated by their underlying traits, and it becomes more enjoyable to read. Every line doesn't have to be a perfect zinger, but once you start thinking carefully about each characters' individual voice and how they interact with one another it starts to come more naturally.

Thanks for taking the time to inbox me and good luck with your projects!!

#asks

[tloujm]

Part XXXVI: Hello?

Author’s Notes: First of all...🎄Merry Christmas🎄I hope this is a nice little gift to finish off the night. This is the extent of my backlog, so now I will be writing some more chapters from scratch to further along this angst plot line that I’ve now committed to. In the mean time, I do have some finished HC’s in the drafts and might just post one tonight or tomorrow as a bonus present. 

Also can you tell that I’m skirting pregnancy sex. I haven’t written smut in a LONG time and while I’ve been reading it, it’s always still different to write it. I also feel like pregnancy sex in particular is more delicate to write. I might still do it but I don’t know...We’ll see how confident I feel on that front. 

Genre: Fluff with a side of angst

Summary: You are introduced to Theresa in an unconventional way. You and Joel eat pizza, talk about Ellie moving in, and flirt a little. 

Ship: Joel x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 2.3k

Joel came home to find you in bed sleeping earlier than usual. He was itching to tell you about Theresa, but figured it could wait until tomorrow afternoon. He knew that you waking up as early as him was wishful thinking, so it solidified his plans to tell you after his patrol shift. He just rubbed your belly before crouching down to leave a chaste kiss on your forehead before leaving for the day.

A few hours later, you got up to start a lazy morning routine. It began by turning the bowling ball strapped around your middle to the edge of the bed; that took a solid two minutes on its own. The next sensation was to pee. This had to happen within 30 seconds of getting out of bed or there’d be a mess. While in the bathroom, you usually took care of your other basic needs. Mirrors weren’t your favorite thing at this stage in the game, so you tended to just walk around the second floor of the house while you brushed your teeth.

Stopping dead in your tracks, your head turned in the direction of faint radio static. You stood quietly in the middle of the upstairs hallway, waiting patiently to hear it again. It took several long moments, but it happened again. You deduced that it was coming from Joel’s ham radio in his craft room. Because he worked with a lot of wood, he left it covered with a scrap of fabric to avoid dust, so you often forgot that it was even there. You couldn’t remember the last time that thing was used. He taught you how to use it in emergencies, but walkie talkies have been your family’s go to. 

As quickly as you could, you waddled to the bathroom to spit. Through the running water of the sink, you heard more than just static this time. Panic surged through your body as you waddled back toward the room. You unmistakingly heard your name as you got closer. The voice was unrecognizable. You weren’t unfamiliar with supernatural things and, unlike Joel, you gave it some weight. Your mind immediately went to a ghost because you racked your brain and could not place that unique voice. You tried to rationalize that it was possible there were people you hadn’t met within the settlement. Regardless, you were nothing more than curious. Carefully, you sat down and uncovered the radio. 

You picked up the attached microphone. “Hello?”

“Hi!” A staticky reply emitted.

“How are you?” You didn't know what else to say; it was your default response. 

“I am well. The question is how are you?”

“Um, good I guess. I’m sorry, who is this and how do you know me?” You sat there anxiously waiting for the answer.

The woman, Theresa, explained everything that Joel told her. Honestly, you were a bit peeved with him for not talking to you about this first; it was unlike him. You were very skeptical about her identity, but you had to admit that you enjoyed talking to her. Initially, you weren’t in the mood to socialize, but for a detached voice, she was very warm and inviting. She brought you out of your comfort zone and asked you about things you hadn’t answered in a while, things you didn’t know the answer to. After an hour or so, Theresa excused herself to check on her daughter. Those moments to yourself made you contemplate that what she was doing was soon to be your reality; it was all very surreal. 

After the radio had gone silent for several moments, you pressed the button on your microphone and told her that if she was too busy, they could always chat again another time. Theresa wholeheartedly agreed. From there, you kept yourself busy around the house until Joel got home. 

*****

“Baby, I’m home.” Joel shouted after closing the front door. “I brought lunch if you’re hungry.” He heard your footsteps approach him.

“Hey.” You stopped at the foot of the stairs. He watched you for a moment to see if you’d go further and hug him. Yet again, it was wishful thinking. He just had to keep being patient. “What did you get?”

“The bakery made pizza today.” Joel watched your eyes light up.

“What kind?”

“Venison and mushroom. How does that sound?”

“Sounds delicious!” You finally approached him to grab the box. Your hands brushed his. If the contact affected you, Joel didn’t notice. He took another moment to watch you nonchalantly set the box down onto the kitchen counter. It was one thing for him to initiate physical contact, but for you to do that, even unintentionally, offered a warm feeling through his body. “I’ll plate ‘em.”

“How was your day?”

“Oh you don’t know?”

“You implyin’ that I spy on you now?” His brow quirked up.

“Well, unless Theresa is a spy feeding you information to make sure I’m being a good girl…”

Joel choked on the water he poured for himself. “(Y/N), don’t do that. I’m just looking out for you. Now, Theresa—”

“Wait, so she is your spy?”

“No! That’s ridiculous.” He gazed at you in disbelief for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. “I just want you to feel better so I figured you might like talking to someone who can relate. You know I’m always here for you, but sometimes I feel like, no matter how much I try, I can’t support you the way that you need to be supported.” He watched your eyes break contact and fall to your feet. “I only spoke to her yesterday about this before I came home. You were already asleep, so I planned on telling you over dinner.”

“Oh.”

“She called the radio already?”

“Yeah. Hadn’t used that thing in so long, I almost forgot how to work it.” You chuckled.

“Good practice then.” He chuckled too before trying another sip of water. “How’d it go?”

“She’s nice. I think I really liked talking to her.”

Joel’s brows raised. “That’s good! You gonna meet her in person next or stick to the radio?”

“Probably the radio a couple more times, but I think it’d be nice to have her and her daughter over for dinner one day. Maybe they’ll grow up together and be friends.” You shrugged as you clasped your hands under your belly.

“Speaking of growing up together, there’s something else we should talk about.”

“What is it?” You asked through a full mouth.

“It’s about Ellie.” You nodded, encouraging him to continue. “We’ve had her over for dinner and movies plenty of times now. I give her ridin’ lessons and you see her all the time at the daycare. We took her on that trip. So, you’d say we’re all pretty close, right?”

“Yeah.” You answered promptly. “As close anyone can get with her. She’s been making real good progress.”

“How do you feel about her being here more often? Like staying here? She’s gotten real comfortable around us and it’d help relieve Wendy a bit at the daycare. No one’s volunteered to take her in yet and we have the means to do it. We can give her a real home.” He looked at you with dough eyes. You loved it when he looked at you that way. It made him look so soft and vulnerable; so real. After a year of seeing his face grimace and furrow during the cross country trek, being able to witness other sides of him was a treat. It definitely softened you up, though you didn’t need to be to answer him.

“I think that’s a really good idea. I’d love to have her around more. I know she’s gotten used to her environment there since arriving in Jackson, but she’s getting older and may want her own room and stuff. So, are you talking about spending the night then going back or moving in?”

“Whatever she’s comfortable with. I was thinkin’ we can have her over for dinner this week and talk about it together.”

“Joel.”

“Mmm.” He answered, mouth full.

“Are you ready for this?”

He immediately knew what you meant by this. While he wasn’t in the mood to talk about Sarah or his feelings in general, he loved how in sync the two of you were for him to get your question. “Ellie is not Sarah; I know that.” He cleared his throat as a way to stall. “All I’m sayin’ is that, you don’t stop being a dad no matter what. She doesn’t have one at the moment…And I’m not sayin’ I’ll replace hers just like she won’t replace my Sarah, but if she’s ok with someone teachin’ her things and worryin’ over her and making sure she’s happy and healthy, then,” He shrugged. “I can do that.”

“Well if there’s one thing I learned from being with you is that you got enough love and worry to go around.” You joked. He grumbled in response to your observation. “How about tomorrow? If you’re not busy, we can have her over and see how she feels.”

“I’ll be back in time for dinner. Matter of fact, I’ll pick her and some food up on my way home.”

“You want me home all day now, remember? I can cook dinner and have it ready around four o’clock.”

“Don’t make it sound like I’m holding you hostage.”

“You did kidnap me before.” You said under your breath but he still heard.

“When did I kidnap you, (Y/N)?”

“The fireflies didn’t want me to leave.”

He sighed at the F word. “You were not there’s to keep, especially under false…Why are we talking about this, (Y/N)?” You shrugged. You forgave him for what he did, but still felt like he should be reminded every so often.  “Makes me feel like you’re not going to like what else I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Fuck me, that’s not a good start. What is it?”

“I want Dr. Carson to come see you again.”

“What, why? I just had a check up with him and everything was fine.”

“That was 15 days ago and now you’re in your third trimester. He may need to give you a physical based on, you know, third trimester standards. Make sure everything’s on the right track.”

You sighed in annoyance despite knowing he was right. “Yes, sir.”

Joel quirked a single eyebrow as he wiped his mouth. “I’m sir now? I think I like that.” He flashed you a flirtatious smile.

Playfully, you rolled your eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“What if it already has?”

“Oh my goodness, what have I done?” You took the plates and put them in the sink.

“You’ve always had a way with words.”

You chuckled. “I made that cake that we were supposed to make the other day. Want a slice?” 

“If you keep messin’ around and spoilin’ me, darlin’, I’m just gonna have to show you how much more I can spoil you.” You stood in front of him, bump and plump face in full view, and he still flirted with you like he did a few years ago. You tried to deny it, but you were getting turned on. Your cheeks hardly ever blushed, but still your skin felt hot as his eyes stayed on you. “Now I done embarrassed you, huh, darlin’? I wish you wouldn’t shy away from me like that.”

“Umm…” You looked around everywhere but him. You don’t remember the last time you felt so flustered around him. It’s usually you calming others down when Joel flusters people with his antics. “How about we go upstairs?”

Joel’s smile grew. He simply stretched out his hand and waited for you to take it. Before the two of you began to climb the stairs, he turned back around and jogged into the kitchen. “Almost forgot this. We can share.” He gestured to the slice of cake. 

I still got it, Joel thought to himself and his hand ghosted the small of your back. He was a step behind you, watching you as you walked up the rest of the way. Joel was admittedly proud of his flirting skills. Though he was excited to see how much further he could go with you, he was more than happy to do exactly what he did last week. 

He sat the plate down on the nightstand before going to close the shades. He knew you liked it as dark as possible; it was the only way you could enjoy it at the moment. He promised himself that he wouldn’t stop working on your confidence, but knew you only responded to baby steps. 

You sat up on the bed as you waited for him to come back. Your heart rate quickened as you felt the familiar dip on his side of the mattress. He was surprised to feel that you had already removed your shirt. He mirrored your actions as his desire to have skin to skin contact burned through him. He slid further to you, not enough to touch, but enough to feel the heat radiating off of you. He laid his palm flat between your breasts and slowly slid it further down until he met the peak of your bump. He kept rubbing around until he felt some kicks. Just as before, his eyes became glassy. The two of you stayed like that until you fell asleep.

#TLOU #TLOU 2 #TLOU II #The Last of Us #The Last of Us II #Joel Miller #Joel TLOU #TLOU Joel #TLOU Joel Miller #The Last of Us Joel Miller #Joel Miller x Reader #Joel Miller x Fem!Reader #Joel Miller fanfic #tlou fanfic #tlou fanfiction #joel tlou fanfiction #reader insert

[oonajaeadira]

i've been excited for LOYW ever since you first mentioned the concept, and now seeing that snippet and you saying it helped with your writers block!?!? I DIDNT THINK I COULD BE EVEN MORE EXCITED

im so glad youre enjoying the concept and that youre looking forward to writing it, my favourite fanfics/fanworks are always the ones the author/creator had a fun time writing

ive basically read your entire masterlist and every character youve written for has never ever felt ooc, so knowing that one of my fave fanfic writers is doing this concept with mr.joel miller himself????? I AM SO SO EXCITED FOR THIS AHKSHFLGKLFJFL

Hello, friend.

I need you to know what a really really wonderful message this is. I don't know how to tell you how wonderful it is, but you need to know that it really really is. And how I needed to horde it for a little while.

I have been in a FUNK lately. My brain's been absolutely RUDE.

But.

I'm absolutely melted by this. I love that you love my stories. My whole masterlist? You mean my whole heart. That you have. In your hands. You beauty. This means so much to me...that you trust me with Joel, that you WANT me to write for him...you're excited even.

Excited.

(Are you still excited when I tell you I've written 6.3K of Spring already and it's not near being done yet? And that's just the first of four chapters? This is more of a beast than I'd planned...)

But I am having fun. Tremendous fun, really. I just made Joel hold a lamb because I wanted him to. He's going to take compliments and hospitality and enjoy it, dammit. And I am going to pry his rusted knuckles open and show him that letting Ellie go doesn't mean she'll run away. I'm opening him up like a tin can, but easy and slow and gentle...just like he likes it.

This one's just gonna take a little longer and that's all there is to it.

But knowing you're just as excited as I am for it? That's worth fighting for.

Thank you, one million million. <3

[queers-gambit]

Not so heavenly surprised broke me but I really loved it. My ex left when I was pregnant and it broke me and I also lost our son when he was less than a year old and I lost my dad around the same time but obviously I was 17 and unmarried. Although your story had a horrible tragic end It was a really good emotional read for me idk why normally I’d hate to read something that hits so close to home but it just felt therapeutic

If you ever decide to write something like that I would love to read a version where instead of joel and Tommy showing up to get her and Katie she ends up in the same place as Tommy or finds Tommy along the way and she’s reunited with Joel minus the whole 20 year separation thing. Like Joel losing his wife then his daughter, being on his own and struggling for so long and then finally finding not only his little brother but his wife and child and realising he wouldnt give it up for the world would be perfect.

I know you’ll probably never write it and maybe never will even see this but I just wanted to say thanks for writing not so heavenly surprise it was an emotional therapeutic rollercoaster of a read and is perfect as it is but if you ever feel like writing a version with a happy ending just know I’d be first in line to read that one too.

Hope you’re well❤️

hello, my sweet anon. i reread your message a few times and honestly, my heart goes out to you. i am so deeply sorry for what you had to go through, and i want you to know that you are an incredible person - and i am so fucking proud of you. look at all you overcame. look at all you've done. look how you're still here and making the decision to heal everyday. i am so sorry for your losses, but i want to say that i commend you for the strength and resilience required to endure such experiences.

again, i am so sorry for your losses, but i am so very glad you are still here to share these emotions. how honored i feel that you took a chance and read Not So Heavenly Surprise, and how pleased i am to hear it didn't trigger you too bad. sometimes, we like seeing reflections... and perhaps that's why reading might've felt cathartic.

as an author, allow me the moment to thank you for your readership and support. i am elated to learn you had *any* emotion. you absolute babe. you stunner. you incredibly resilient sweetheart.

so, as for your request, the only reason i'm saying no is because i don't want to rewrite Not So Heavenly Surprise. it's a nice concept you've pitched, but i don't want to rewrite a new fight, new break-up, then time skips. it'll make me cringe trying to write, whole time my wonky brain would go wonky and keep repeating, "ah, shit, you wrote this already!!"

however, if you'd like to adjust details and resubmit your request, i'd be interested in at least considering the idea of a new one shot.

i hope your blessings in this life start soon. i hope you continue to heal. i hope you're doing well and continue to do so. all my love and however many forehead kisses you want! 🖤

[hpdabbles]

More unlikely Slytherin raising Harry?

Hubert fights to not roll his eyes as yet another woman flutters her eyelids at his uncle. She is leaning a little to close to the man, half draped over the table that the book store has set up for autographs. 

Another book signing where the lines were more there to lust after the author then read his work. Sitting in a chair a little ways behind Uncle Tom, Hubert tries not to fidget with impatience knowing it would be disgraceful of him to make a scene. 

He had a reputation to uphold. His uncle had raised him with proper manners and had been hiring tutors to insure he keep ahead of the richest school he was attended. He rubbed elbows with all the upper crust kids who his uncle taught to charm and mingle in. 

Hubert knew any slip up could be held against him in the world of the rich and famous which why he always keeps control of his body and actions, with great care.  

After all,  “A proper gentleman knew how to run a ball even without a ballroom”    So he sits with the proper poster and reads his own book- nothing he Uncle writes- about dragons and the wizard Merlin. (his Uncle has always made faces at any mention of Merlin) without so much of a hair out of place, emotions are carefully hidden by a pleasant relax mask.

The woman leans forward to give his uncle a chance to look down her shirt. Uncle Tom keeps his eyes politely on her face instead. 

A part of him wants to tell her it's hopeless because as far as he is aware his Uncle Tom hasn't found anyone attractive since Hubert was a baby. Though he had noticed the backward glances he uncle shoot a bloke that one time- however that couldn't have been for any reason. Hubert knows the lady will be forgotten as soon as she steps away, only to be replaced with another fawning woman wanted to sing his uncle writing false praise.

 They always did. Half of Uncle Tom's fans were more interested in the author then the stories he created. It wasn't too hard to see why, at thirty-two his uncle still seems attractive, young enough for a bride, rich enough to sustain a family for three generations and with the mannerism of a manor Lord, Uncle Tom had many women chasing him. It was rather sad sometimes. 

 Not that Hubert would ever point it out in public; a lady's reputation was easier to smear and harder to clean then a gentleman's and Uncle Tom made sure to raise a proper gentleman. Hubert was expected to act like that of his rightful standing, having come from a family of old money. Hubert didn't know too much about his family or the life his Uncle lead before his grandparents died.

The family was a touche topic for his uncle. 

In fact as far as his biological father went Hubert knew very little, since his guardian and father didn't part on the friendliest of terms. The last time they spoke was when his Uncle had been fifteen, one argument that went too far breaking the bond they had beyond any repair. 

 A few years later his father and mother had been killed during a house robbery, and Hubert had been the only known survivor, the murder still at large, along with the other cold cases of a seller killer that was running around the same time. The law enforcement believed that the incidents were connected but haven’t found anything in the last decade to prove it. 

He was handed over to Uncle Tom as his last living relative, having called the man in the dead of night. Upon learning he was now in charge of raising a child, his uncle had bought an old victorian house on a hill, - said to be haunted but his Uncle found it amusing people believed so.   

According to him, there was nothing floating around, and if there was a ghost they would know.  Uncle Tom had paid a small fortune to have the house rebuilt to its former glory, and Hubert grew in a what could as well been a mansion with its private land surrounded by a thick forest and its own small lake.

 The closest neighbors were a good forty-minute drive away, just as Uncle Tom like it. 

“In case we need to hide your accidental magic” Uncle Tom used to say back when Hubert believed in silly things like magic and Father Chrismas. “We can never be too careful”

His father would have adored it according to his uncle. Sometimes Hubert wonders if when he looked at him did he see the brother or the nephew but didn’t dare to voice the question. 

 He once asked what disagreement was about. His uncle had gone very quiet staring at the ring he keeps on at all times- not that Hubert knew why the thing wasn't even that valuable but he supposes he has never seen such an impressive carving of Sirius constellation on metal. "He didn't agree with the life choices I was making at the time. I thought he was picking a foolish path. In the end, we went our separate ways. It is my greatest regret."

 Hubert often wondered what Uncle Tom could have possibly done that his father disagreed so much with. He had a suspicion, after all, that one backward glance to the passing bloke was a one-time thing but it happened.

He didn’t feel very comfortable with the idea of coming from a man who didn’t tolerate same-sex love, so Hubert tried not to think about it. He would accept Uncle Tom regardless of who the man loved, he just needed to wait for the man to think him old enough to talk about it.

His parents' and grandparents' disapproval were no longer important. Jake and Rose Saiph were long dead anyway, it best to leave it at that. Even if Hubert wondered sometimes what it would have been like to have a mom and dad instead of an uncle.  

“Hello dear, who may I make this out to?” Uncle Tom greets a girl with bushy hair and buck teeth. Hubert is surprised to find someone his age in line since the story was fantasy but it was more geared towards young adults. Too many words.

“Hermione Ganger please sir” She squeaks looking like she was meeting a movie star. Her face is flushed, and she seems slightly shaken with star stuck eyes. The woman accompany her- her mother based off the similar features- isn’t fairing any better.  “Can I just say, sir, that I adore all your work? I read all your books, I’ve even got the special edition from Paris- and I was so excited about the newest release. I waited in line outside the book store for three whole hours!”

 Uncle Tom chuckles, signing the special edition that she must have specialized ordered with an elegant twirl of his wrist. Hubert is a little impressed by it, that copy had a fancier cover with accompanying illustrations on the inside of pages, it was also twice the regular price.  “Thank you very much for your support deary. My nephew could learn a thing or two of supporting this old man from you.” 

Suprise to have attention on him, Hubert easily plays if off by lifting his head and offering Ganger a winning smile, that he knows rings true to Uncle’s looks. As he suspected she stares before flushing bright red. He gives her a small nod and then locks eyes with her mother to do the same before responding “I support you, plenty uncle. I always make sure you turn in your manuscript by the deadline. Without me, there would be no books in Fallen Son.” 

Uncle Tom chuckles, which causes the female Gangers to crack a smile each. Poor dears wouldn’t last a day in the upper-class world. Much too open with their thoughts.  

The girl opens her mouth to say something, only to jerk in surprise as the ten balloons surrounding the table burst in loud pops, one right after the other, as if though someone had gone at them with a needle each.

A few people in line scream at the sudden noise and all the color drains from Ganger’s face. Her mother places her hands on her shoulders, face turning fiercely protective.  Hubert himself had jumped in his sit the closest of them all to them. 

Uncle Tom doesn’t even bat an eye the jerk. Standing to boy slightly at the whispering people “Terrible sorry about that ladies and gentlemen. I may have bought some defeated decorations in my effort to lighten up my nephew’s day.” 

His disregarding of the strange occasion ease the crowd into chuckles as if he had purposely set up exploding decoration for a prank seem like something normal. A perfect example of saying something with enough confidence it would appear true. 

Ganger’s face relaxes, some of the color returning but much more reserved than before. She no longer rocks on her heels or seems to burst from excitement anymore. 

 Hubert is quite surprised when Uncle returns her book he offers her a soft understanding smile.   “You are a very special young lady.” 

Now, what is this man up to? 

Ganger’s face has fallen “I’m Blaze”

Hubert knows that to the villain in Fallen Son, which he quickly corrects seeing his chance to win her favor.  “Blaze learned to control his abilities and became the general of the army. He was evil at first but he isn’t now. You could be the next general, don’t sell yourself short for a few strange happenings. Life would be boring that way.”

Ganger gives him a weak smile at that but she still flees all the same. 

When the two leave and the book signing finishes Hubert asks why his Uncle had bothered with attempting to gain the Ganger’s favor. 

“She will most likely be your classmate in Hogwarts. Best for muggle-borns to stick together and if we want your story to stick we must build up the illusion starting now- which reminds me, we must reapply your make-up the scar is peaking through.” Uncle answers as Joel- their chauffeur- drive them home kept behind glass to have their privacy.

Hubert rolls his eyes.  “Uncle Tom, I’m not a child anymore-”

“Are you above the age of twenty?”

“No”

“Then you are a child,” His uncle says with a slight smirk. Hubert fumes for a moment before calming down. When one raises their voice in a disagreement its because they are losing the argument. Hubert is not losing.

“Uncle Tom, I am not a foolish child. I don’t believe in magic-”

“How can someone from my own family say something so terrible? Of course, you believe in magic. We are magic, even if I don’t have a wand to show you. I am a pureblood and you a half-blood but we will masquerading as muggle-borns. You will be a second-generation, of course, but still considered muggle-born none the less. I know I told you all this when I went over all the changes your body was going through a year ago-”

“Thank you, Uncle Tom, we don’t have to bring that up!”  Hubert interrupts face burning. He refuses to think of that delightful “welcome to puberty” conversation when he turned ten. His Uncle had given it to him earlier than his classmates due to his “magic”. 

Sometimes he wondered if Uncle Tom was mad, because he honestly believed in magic and that somehow Hubert was a person named Harry who defeated a great evil that he used to follow. Rubbish.

At least he thought so until an owl delivered a letter at their house and Uncle Tom took it with great care.  “After so long, I’m finally going back. Come, Hubert, we have your supplies to buy.”

Hubert went with him, thinking it was for the secondary school only to be shocked when they entered a pub instead and thankful had his meltdown at home behind closed doors. He has just been in a hidden magic market place he thinks he deserves it  “Wait you mean you weren’t just making up bedtime stories for me? I really am magic and we were are hiding from wizard hit men!?  Is my whole life a lie?!”

“Not all of it. Just most.” 

“Uncle Tom are you even my uncle!?”

“.....Distantly. We’re more like cousins three times removed. The Potter and the Blacks have married but we are so inbred that-”

“STOP!”

#Anonymous #hpdabbles #Unlikely Slytherin raises Harry #Part 2 #Prompt night #Regulus Black raises Harry #Hubert Saiph #Tom Saiph #Hiding #fake identity #So Hubert who life is a lie #Regulus has told him about it all #He just lacks a wand #Harry raised a a proper nobelman

[dailyaudiobible]

10/22/2020 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 39:1-41:18, 2 Timothy 1:1-18, Psalms 90:1-91:16, Proverbs 26:1-2

Today is the 22nd day of October welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I'm Brian it's great to be here with you today like every day. It's always, always a joy to be here with you as we take the next step forward and that next step forward….well…that will continue our journey in Jeremiah but when we get the New Testament we’re moving into the middle pastoral epistle known as second Timothy, and we’ll talk about that when we get there but let's…let's dive into Jeremiah. We’re reading from the Christian Standard Bible this week. Jeremiah 39, 40 and 41 today.

Introduction to second Timothy:

Okay. As we said at the beginning, we are moving into another of the pastoral epistles. These are letters that are personal in the Bible, not like circular letters written to entire churches to be read and performed before a congregation and then past to another church. They are personal letters. They are attributed to the apostle Paul although as we talked about, these pastoral epistles are highly disputed and have been for centuries. And there are, you know, very few biblical scholars these days who would say the pastoral letters were actually written by the apostle Paul. That mostly comes because historians, church historians, who have watched like the development of church structure have been able to kind of observe that these pastoral epistles, they seem to have developments within church structures that came after the apostle Paul's life. Nevertheless, the letters are like Pauline in…in nature and are…are written to be from the apostle Paul to these two pastors Timothy and Titus as personal letters that contain a lot of church structure instructions, yeah, that still provide controversies in certain sections and segments of the church today. But this letter, second Timothy is written in the name of Paul, may have been written by Paul, and would be the final of the pastoral epistles. And as its later, like a late letter, if the apostle Paul did write this letter than this is the last known writing of the apostle Paul's life. And if Paul didn't write it then somebody familiar, somebody of the Pauline school, somebody who’s theologically under Paul or under one of these pastors of the churches was…was indeed kind of counting the last days of Paul. And, so, Timothy who this letter is written to, like the last one that we read was the pastor the church in Ephesus. And this is a church that Paul spent a lot of time in. So, these people knew Paul and they know Pastor Timothy pretty well. And Paul at the time is in prison in Rome. He had appealed to Caesar. He’s waiting to find out whether he’s gonna live or die and as it turns out he's…he's gonna die. And Paul's imprisonment is also a matter of scholarly debate, not whether it happened or not, but it…it seems like laying out the timeline of Paul's journeys that he may have been released for a time, and had freedom again for a time. So, when he first came under arrest when he was first imprisoned in Rome, he kinda had some freedoms. We see that written in the Scriptures. It was kind of more of a house arrest. He was under guard, but he had some freedoms. Like he wasn’t just in dungeon and then as the timeline kinda lays out it seems like he was released from custody and then he traveled again for a period of time, and then it would be during those, that small time of freedom that he wrote first Timothy and Titus, which we’ll read next. And then Paul was incarcerated again, and this would be A.D. 66. And not to get to technical, but this is some of the reasons like dating Paul's life, you can't date right down to the days on things, but you can get pretty close in when his wife would've been. And then looking at church structures etc. etc. knowing like some of these things came to be later that's why a scholar would think about these letters being later than Paul's life. But around 66 A.D. Paul then was arrested again, and this was under Emperor Nero who just was …was a savage to Christians and persecuting them and executing them and denigrating them. It was a…a bad time. And, so, when Paul was arrested again, he didn’t have the kind of freedoms that he had before. He was then at that point in a cold dungeon waiting to die pretty much. That’s the…the writing was on the wall. So, the idea then is that from this imprisonment, and we’ll see in the letter, that it’s full of melancholy, like it's full of the type of hopeful language we would expect from a letter like this, but also just sobering realities of the circumstances and the likely outcome being martyrdom. This is the tone of second Timothy. And, so, we can take second Timothy as the last things we would hear from this apostle, sort of like the…the period at the end of the sentence, the last things that get said. So, I mean, the marginalization that was happening among the church, people would identify as Christians being completely set aside and really, really pressed in on and persecuted, most everybody had deserted Paul. Like people were waiting for Jesus to come back. He wasn’t coming back. Paul, the guy that had showed them this way, is imprisoned. The Empire has got a vendetta against people of this faith. So, there just like, “yeah. That’s not gonna work for me” and just went back into the wall work and back to whatever they were doing before. And, so, Paul is alone. Only Luke the physician who we believe to be the author of the gospel of Luke as well as is the book of Acts stayed in Rome with Paul. Paul knew that he was probably gonna die. From the tone of this letter he was hoping to see Timothy just one more time, like one more time in this life face-to-face and that he had some final counsel just in case that face-to-face couldn't happen, some final words of encouragement, some final words of instruction. And given the backdrop that I just, you know, that I just said for us, that's why we find famous verses in this letter, like “I have fought the good fight of faith. I have finished the race.” And, so, we begin. Second Timothy chapter 1.

Prayer:

Father we thank You for Your word. We are so, so grateful for Your word and Your direction and Your counsel and Your comfort in these days. And I…I'm sure the generations before us trailing back to the very day that these words were penned, that those who read them felt this way. Thank You, thank You, thank You for being here for us when things are confusing. Thank You for taking us back into this melancholy territory in the early formation of the church as we are reading a letter that…that gives us language for the end of the apostle Paul's life and the convictions that were held intact, even as he faced…even as he faced like…like that his head was going to be severed from his body. That's a pretty stark thing to think about. And, so, Holy Spirit, as we continue our journey through the New Testament, as we continue our journey through…through the books of prophecy. Come, lead us into all truth. Lead us in the way that we should go. Lead us on the narrow path that leads to life. Lead us deeper into our relationship with the Savior. And we ask in His name, the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, yeah, it’s home base, its where you find out what’s going on around here. It’s where the Global Campfire lives. It's home for the community that we are. So, like I say most every day. Check it out. Stay connected. Check out the Community section. Check out the Prayer Wall that’s at the Community section. You can always, always, always pray for each other.

And if you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com as well. There is a link on the homepage. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address, if that's your preference, is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app, which is the little red button at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hello my fellow DABylonians this is Kevin in California checking in and real quick just want to ask that you would continue to pray for my three sons - Levi, Moses and Tekoa - that God would give them peace and wisdom and courage. But my main call is I wanted to call Chris in Florida. Wow man. That’s…that’s some heavy stuff. Thank you so much for calling in and reaching out. I’d be honored to pray for you and your 12-year-old daughter. So, let’s pray Familia. Holy Father, Son and Spirit thank You for this man Chris. He’s calling in for his…his beloved daughter and the mourning and grief and healing that she will have to go through with such a difficult thing as losing a mom. And I just pray God that Your Holy Spirit would fill this man Chris with great love and courage and wisdom to love and guide and comfort his daughter through this time of grief. May he and his daughter grieve well together. And I pray God that You’d give him great opportunities to let the tears flow Father. Give them places and opportunities to feel their grief and let it flow and heal through that God. Thank You, Father for what You’re going to do in this man Chris’s life and his 12-year-old daughter. Thank You, God that You have a plan and those plans are for good. Thank You, God that this lady is now with You Lord and I…

This is from junk to treasure. I’m calling because I heard Joel Maddox reach out for help. He was the first caller on Monday, October 19th’s broadcast. Joel I just…you said you can’t stand to look at yourself in the mirror and you’ve lost everything and you’re ready to give up and you don’t know what to do. This is when you look at yourself in the mirror as a child of God and you start from where you are. You call upon the Holy Spirit and you ask for help and direction and you start by setting small goals each day of what you can do until you can get back on your feet and regain. I don’t know whether you lost possessions or what it is you lost but we just pray over you and we ask the Holy Spirit to circle around you and uplift you and we praise God that you called out for help because it’s not too late when you ask for help and just pray that God will hold on to you in a mighty strong way so that you can get your eyes set back on the right path. We pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Hello DAB family this is Shantay calling from Metro Detroit and I wanted to call and share some good news with you all. I just received a call from a company that I’ve been interviewing with and I hadn’t heard from them in a good while. And, so, I thought they just forgot about me. But anyway, I found out today they offered me a job in Florida. And, so, I am like so…so many emotions. I’m so grateful and thankful to God for just working everything out. I’ve been furloughed since April. It is now October and I have a job offer and I’m…I’m just…I’m so amazed and it’s just…ahh…thank you to each and every one of you that have prayed for me over all these years. This month, October marks my 10th year of listening to the Daily Audio Bible and you all have seen me through so many ups, so many downs, so many back up’s, like just…you guys have been praying for me since the beginning and I just…I thank you all and I love you all so much. I’m so grateful for each and every one of you, for Brian and Jill I’m so grateful for you too…you…you have just blessed my life, your saying yes to doing the Daily Audio Bible and…and reading the Scripture in and out, day in and out, rain or shine has just blessed my life and so many others and I’m just…I…I’m so very thankful, so very thankful. So, I just want to call in with that praise report to everyone. Thank you for your prayers. I love each and every one of you. And, yeah, okay I know I’ve been cut off so I’m just gonna stop now. But if anyone else is still listening, I love you all so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for all that you do…

Hi, it’s Sherry from Kansas. I would like to ask you to continue praying for Jennifer. She’s the 13-year-old girl I told you about that her dad is super morbidly obese and her mom has mental issues and is very abusive. The dad can’t even get out of a chair or anything. And Jennifer started cutting herself and lying and doing a little stealing as well. But Jennifer’s mom told Jennifer that if she wasn’t dead before her 18th birthday then Jennifer’s mom said she would kill herself, which is a horrible thing to say to a child. But this is the kind of things that Jennifer’s mom says. Anyway, CFS, child and family services has gotten involved and I’m just really praying for them for wisdom and for something to happen, but I don’t know what at this point. So, I just want to ask you to continue praying for her because Jennifer is really a wonderful girl and she’s acting out and doing the things she’s doing because of the abuse that she’s suffering. Anyway, thank you all for praying and God bless you.

Hello Daily Audio Bible audience I’m calling on October 17th I’m a listener in Maryland and I’m calling for two people who call this week. One was a lady and I’m sorry I don’t remember your name, but she was very upset because she was alone, and she desperately wanted to be married and she had no children and she was 62. It spoke to me because it was near my birthday and I turned 64. I too have never been married and I have no children; however, I don’t feel alone in that I do know that the Holy Spirit watches out for me and makes it possible to for me to move through this journey. The other person whose name is James, he had sort of the same problem except he was a young man and he had been in foster care and he was alone, and he was going through rehab. James, your strong, I could tell it in your voice and you’re a good person. You were asking for prayer and hoping that your parents were still alive and well. You also have the Holy Spirit that is taking care of you. So, both of you, make it…you will make it to through the loneliness. You just have to get it in your heart and in your mind and in your spirit. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Jackie and I’m asking prayer for my brother Sonny who’s in the hospital with chest pain and stomach pain possibly due to stress. He has lost his job and battling with some financial __. Also for my sister, she’s a single mom, she’s not working, she has a college aged son in need of a financial blessing, in need of scholarships she’d applied for but due to COVID-19 everything is closed down. I’m also asking prayers for my son who’s single, hasn’t been married, has no kids, and is __ and lonely. And I’m asking God to cease the loneliness and I’m also worried sometimes, worried about my future, what’s gonna happen. I feel stuck __ that God would just relieve my stress, relieve the loneliness. __ pray for my DAB family I greatly appreciate it community. I love you all. I love you Brian and Jill and there are so many I keep praying for you. I thank God for this community. Have a blessed day.

[stopforamoment]

Margarita Challenge: Babysitting Betsy Beaumont

My Complete Masterlist

Book: The Royal Romance (After Book Three) Pairing: Bastien Lykel x OC Rinda Parks Word Count: 1,670ish    Rating: M for Language and Angst for Sweet Maxwell Author’s Note and Drabble Summary—This was meant to be written for @blackcatkita margarita challenge, and it should have just been a short drabble, but my muse took it in a completely different direction (um, I thought part of the challenge was for me to drink my own margaritas and see what total shit I came up with???). I’ll still write one with Rinda drunk on margaritas, I promise! Betsy Beaumont the Badass Bastard Bird needs a peacock sitter at the duchy, and Gladys and Bastien hate their jobs. Please click here if you’d like to read about Betsy and the Peacock Fiasco referenced in this drabble.    

Obligatory disclaimer that Pixelberry Studios owns the TRR characters and my pocketbook with those darn diamond scenes. Rinda and Betsy with all of their quirks is all mine. My apologies if Tumblr or I do something stupid when I try to post this. The keep reading link shows up on my laptop but not my phone. Ugh. Thank you @asherella-is-a-dork-3 and @bobasheebaby  for always being my sounding board! Thank you @silviasutton1989 ​ @riseandshinelittleblossom​ @tornbetween2loves @sirbeepsalot @innerpostmentality @kennaxval @strangerofbraidwood @sawyeroakleyscowboyhat @begging-for-kamilah @teamtomsato for still being a part of the journey!

Babysitting Betsy Beaumont Rinda was in her classroom, reading through the five-page, single spaced care list. There were known allergies, food preferences, comfort techniques, sleep schedule, favorite music, exercise routines . . .

Her co-teacher Laura walked in. “Is that an Instructional Education Plan for a new student? What kind of resources should we get lined up?” Rinda shook her head. “Nope. It’s for Betsy.” Laura pursed her lips, desperately trying not to laugh. “Maxwell wasn’t able to find a peacock sitter?” “Um, the peacocks are staying in the duchy with the other animals while everyone is on holiday, but Gladys doesn’t have time to deal with this shit. And Bastien promised to help, but you know how much Betsy hates his fucking guts. And Drake just laughed when Bastien asked for help, so . . . that leaves me.” Laura was bent over in silent laughter, tears streaming down her cheeks. Betsy Beaumont the Badass Bastard Bird was the bane of Bastien’s existence. The bird got aggressive at the duchy Halloween Festival last fall and started stealing food from the children. Maxwell tried to corral Betsy to protect the children’s hot dogs, but Betsy was a diabolical genius who refused to get caught—until Bastien had enough and threw a blanket over Betsy’s head and unceremoniously dumped Betsy into his cage. For the rest of the evening Betsy hissed at Bastien, making his displeasure known. Betsy Beaumont hated Bastien, and the feeling was mutual. If Maxwell wanted to see Betsy alive and well at the end of his trip, Rinda knew she needed to step in. Day One At first Bastien was professional. He offered Betsy his daily hot dog, but Betsy refused to eat it. Bastien sighed, pinching his nose. “Come on, Betsy. Rinda said it’s your favorite. Please eat it so I can leave.” Betsy hissed at Bastien and turned around, spreading his magnificent plumage with disdain. “I can’t believe I’m asking for help with this.” He messaged Rinda. “The bird won’t eat the hot dog.” Rinda messaged back. “Did you heat it up?” Bastien sighed. “No.” He went to the kitchen to microwave the hot dog, and when he returned he gently poked it through the bars of the cage. Betsy didn’t even bother moving. “What? Is it too hot? Do you need it cut up?” He grabbed his Swiss Army knife and quickly cut up the hot dog and blew on a piece before tossing it toward Betsy. He hissed at Bastien. How dare Bastien throw food at him! “Fuck you, Betsy.” Bastien messaged Rinda again. “Still not eating it. I swear I’m never going to get home.” Rinda rolled her eyes when she saw the message notification. “Did you grill it?” “The bird?” “Bastien!” “No, I’m not grilling one hot dog for a fucking bird. I microwaved it.” He paused. “What else did Maxwell say?” “Check page four, paragraph two of the peacock care guide. One grilled hot dog a day with ketchup, no mustard. And no bun. Betsy is gaining weight.” Bastien pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m going to kill Maxwell.” “Stand in line. Just come home, and I’ll stop by tomorrow to clean up the old hot dog and grill a new one. You know Gladys won’t tell on you.”

Day Two Rinda had the peacocks outside for their daily free-range time while she grilled the hot dog, but she kept a close eye on Betsy. Everything was going well until Bastien showed up with a picnic basket. “Hey Tria! I thought we could have a picnic when you’re done!” Just then Betsy saw the blanket Bastien had draped over his arm, and he rushed Bastien who flung the picnic basket at Betsy and ran like hell. For the next ten minutes Rinda was doubled over with laughter while Betsy and his siblings picked through the picnic basket. Bastien waited in the SUV, seething with anger.

Day Three “I swear to God, Tria. The bird was laughing at me.” Rinda was trying so hard not to laugh at Bastien. He was lying on his stomach while Rinda applied an ice pack to his backside. Bastien made the amateur mistake of bending over too close to Betsy’s cage, and the bird literally bit him in the ass. “Seriously. The toy was lying right in front of the cage, and in the dark I couldn’t see what it was. And when I bent down—I swear that little fucker did it on purpose.” Days Four – Ten Rinda took care of Betsy. Day Eleven Gladys invited Rinda and Bastien to the duchy for dinner to thank them for dealing with Betsy. Several pitchers of margaritas later, Gladys and Bastien were three sheets to the wind, plotting the demise of Betsy Beaumont. Day Twelve Maxwell arrived at the duchy, eager to see his peacocks. “Hi babies! Did you miss me? Drake, good to see you smiling! Sally—I love what you did with your feathers. Boris—finger guns at ya buddy! Enid—I know. I missed you too. Joel, did you help Betsy lose weight while I was gone?” Maxwell looked around. “Where’s Betsy?” Bastien strolled past. “Maxwell. It’s good to see you. Did you want some lunch while you’re here?” A huge grin lit up Maxwell’s face. “Of course! But first I have to find Betsy. Do you know where he is?” “Rinda has him. She’s been training Betsy to do that dance routine. I think he’s almost got it.” “Really? That’s great!” They passed Gladys in the great hall. She was on the phone and had a hat and two ornate peacock feathers in her hand. “Oh, I know the Queen will love having a new hat made with his feathers. Yes, of course. Good day.” Gladys ended the call with a smile. “Hello, Maxwell. Betsy lost a couple of his feathers, and I didn’t think you’d mind if I used them to design the Queen a new hat. I thought it would be a nice way to help her remember Betsy.” Maxwell’s eyes widened when he saw the feathers in her hand. “Um. Okay.” Gladys smiled. “Thank you, Maxwell. We’re going to miss Betsy so much.”

. . . . .   Maxwell dug into his lunch. “This is sooooooo delicious!!!!! I love a good burger.” Bastien cocked his head and gave Maxwell an odd smile. “Does it taste good? It isn’t too dry?” Maxwell nodded, talking with a mouthful of food. “Yeah. It’s not really juicy like the other burgers I’ve had, but it still tastes good.” Bastien hummed. “Good to know. It’s actually not a beef hamburger thought. It’s made with something a little more . . . unusual.” Just then Gladys came into the kitchen. “Bastien, do you have a moment?” “Of course, Gladys. If you’ll excuse me, Maxwell.” Bastien and Gladys talked in loud whispers, and Maxwell overheard parts of their conversation. “I just talked to Rinda, and she says it’s time. He doesn’t know yet . . . he thinks Rinda is teaching him choreography. Really? You didn’t tell him the burger is actually made from poultry?” The feathers. Gladys’ earlier comments about remembering Betsy. Bastien’s odd behavior. The loud whispers. Tears were welling in Maxwell’s eyes as he looked at the burger crumbs on his plate. “Betsy?” Bastien walked over to Maxwell and delicately cleared his throat. “Maxwell? Do you mind coming into the backyard? Rinda has something to show you.” Maxwell wiped the tears from his eyes and silently followed Bastien. Rinda was waiting outside, but there was no sign of Betsy. “Rinda. Please. Just tell me. Is he dead? Did you use him to make the burger?” Rinda looked at Maxwell like he had three heads. “The head chef? No, he’s not dead Maxwell. He’s the one who made the burger. But did you like it? I know it tastes a lot different than beef.” “Oh my God.” Maxwell turned pale and Rinda quickly stepped back. “Maxwell, please don’t puke. Please don’t puke. You know I don’t do well with that stuff. Fuck—Bastien!” Rinda was starting to gag—she was a sympathy puker. Bastien rolled his eyes. “Dammit, Maxwell. Ostrich burgers aren’t that bad. You liked it just fine before I told you it wasn’t beef.” “It wasn’t . . . Betsy? But where’s Betsy?” “Maxwell! Do you honestly think we’d butcher Betsy and make you eat him? Queen Riley wants the King to eat healthier, so the chef has been experimenting with leaner cuts of meat. Seriously? Who would eat a disgusting Betsy Burger?” Bastien was shaking his head as he ran to the patio door to grab the water bottle Gladys got for Rinda. Rinda was catching her breath and gratefully took the water from Bastien. “Thank you, Tiger. Sorry about that.” It took Rinda a moment to collect herself, and gasped when she saw the agony on Maxwell’s face. “Maxwell! Betsy’s fine. Yes, Bastien has detailed fantasies of how he’d love to kill Betsy, but he would never actually do it. Betsy’s out here because we have a surprise for you. Well, it’s from Queen Riley, and I helped a little.” They went around the corner and Maxwell squealed with joy. “Betsy! I’ve missed you. Oh my gosh! Did Riley get this for you? She did, didn’t she? Oh yes she did.” It was a small tent, and Rinda had been training Betsy to get comfortable staying in it. “See, Maxwell? Betsy really likes it. So you can use it when everyone goes camping and you want Betsy to come along. Or Betsy can sit in it if he needs shade during free-range time.”

Maxwell and Rinda were soon laughing as Betsy began showing off his choreography moves and how he loved to move in and out of his new tent. Bastien just shook his head as he walked away. “I knew I should have killed him when I had the chance.” Gladys laughed when she heard him. “Betsy or Maxwell?” “Both.”

#margarita challenge #more than a drabble #betsy beaumont #maxwell beaumont #@maxwell peacocks #trr choices #bastien lykel #rinda parks #tiger and tria #long post