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theboredinsomniac · 9 months

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Pillow talk

pairing: Joel Miller x f!reader

summary: Joel is jealous, but an honest conversation is enough to change everything.

word count: 1.7k

warnings: sexual themes. deepthroat, piv, dom/sub dynamic. age gap implied.

note: I don’t have an excuse.

“Show me how sorry you are,” Joel told you, his voice dropping to a darker tone.

At first you gulped, but then you stood on your toes and steadied yourself by putting your hands on his chest to kiss him. But he grabbed your wrists and shook his head with a disapproving look that confused you. You tilted your head to the side as you watched him. Did you do something wrong?

“On your knees, baby,” he clarified with a small smirk.

Nodding, you did as you were told. You knew the drill; first a blowjob, then you were straight off to subspace. Because you knew he was mad at you, he always was when you talked to other guys, and times like this he liked to mark his territory.

While you freed his throbbing member from the confines of his jeans, you thought about what could have turned him into such a jealous man. Maybe it was his ex-wife. Sarah had told you about her once, telling you she liked to flirt with other men, even when she was right there with her. That could certainly make a guy less trusting.

As your tongue swirled around his cock, hand stroking him gently, you wondered how you could convince him to trust you. Being a good girl for him was one way, but despite always being good for him, he still had his issues. You wanted this to work, but if he couldn’t understand that you would never cheat on him, there was no way you could stick around for long.

“Come on, sweetheart, let me feel that throat,” he groaned, his hands on the back of your head pushing you further down on his cock. When you let the tip down your throat as he wished, Joel let out a deep growl. “That’s it, you’re such a good girl for me.”

Right, you’re a good girl, but he only believes that when you’re having sex. Even now that you were deepthroating him, it was all about control to him. He was in charge. He kept you under control. As long as your head was bobbing with his cock stretching your mouth enough to make it almost painful, he was sure you would never leave him for someone else. You were his. Only his.

But then it’s gonna be over, the spell will be broken, and he would be the insecure mess he could be sometimes once again. Yes, he was good at hiding it, but you knew him well enough by now.

You were snapped out of your thoughts when he pulled you off of his cock, stopping you just before he came. While you swiped your saliva and tears off your face, he got out of his clothes and told you to do the same. He was planning to fuck you like he hated you, just like he did every damn time he was jealous.

You didn’t mind, of course, as long as he didn’t really hurt you. But Joel was good at this game, he knew how to make you feel loved even when he dominated you in bed. You were an obedient little sub for him and he always appreciated it.

You were on your hands and knees for him, your forehead dropping on the pillow the moment he filled your cunt with one confident move. He then slowly pulled out halfway, then pushed right back in. You were biting on your lower lip, drowning your moans before they could escape your throat as he picked up his pace.

Joel had a different idea. He grabbed your neck and pulled you up against his chest, gently biting your earlobe before saying, “Why are you so quiet, huh? I want to hear you whine and moan for me.”

“Why can’t you trust me?” you blurted out quietly, too lost in pleasure to think about your words.

This made him come to a halt, his panting becoming the only sound you heard apart from your own breathing. “What are you talking about?” he asked, sounding utterly confused.

“If I so much as look in the general direction of another guy, you always end up being mad at me, which leads to you fucking me like this,” you began once he pulled out of you and grabbed your chin to make you look at him. “Sex is not a problem, but the fact you don’t trust me truly bothers me.”

When he saw a stray teardrop on your cheek, he let out a sigh and gave you a quick kiss. “Baby, I do trust you,” he told you with a warm smile. “Sure, I’m not glad when you talk to other men, how could I be? You’re so much younger than me, I never know when you’ll get bored and leave me.”

“I’m not planning on leaving you anytime soon,” you interjected.

“Good to know,” Joel said with a short laugh before kissing your forehead. “But like I said, I trust you. Never forget that.” You leaned your head back against his shoulder and let out a sigh. It would be so nice to believe him. “Hey, I mean it. I love you. I trust you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

This made you turn your body around to face him, your arms slowly wrapping around his neck as you leaned closer. “I love you, too,” you assured him with a smile. “And don’t think your age matters to me. As long as you make me feel good–and you do–I’m gonna stay.”

“I don’t know what I would do without you,” he whispered before kissing you, his movements giving away how eager he was to please you.

It was a hungry kiss, and he soon began to fuck you again, this time keeping a steady, sensual pace while watching you. For a while you kept eye contact, but it was hard to stay focused when you were feeling this good. It was unusual, he was quite rough most of the time, but you didn’t have any complaints about this rare, softer version of Joel.

Later when he was cleaning up the mess he made with a wet towel, he kept kissing your inner thigh, a hand firmly resting on your knee to keep your legs apart. He didn’t say anything, but the smile on his face spoke volumes. Talking about your feelings certainly made things better. You both calmed down and it completely changed the atmosphere.

“We should talk this openly more often, you know,” you told him with a hand buried in his messy hair.

He threw the towel aside and climbed on the bed next to you, lying there after placing a kiss on your shoulder. “You’re right. We did sort a few things out. I’ll do my best to be more trusting, I promise. But you have to swear you’ll tell me if you have doubts about our relationship,” he asked you.

“I swear I will tell you if it ever happens,” you assured him with a smile. “But I think marriage is closer than a break up.”

“Marriage? You’re thinking about that?” he asked with a frown. Your mouth fell open but no words came out. What could you say to that? Admit that you’ve once mistakenly believed he would propose on a night out? “Hey,” he began, bringing you back to reality before you could get lost in your thoughts, “I just never thought you would want that. I’d be the happiest man on this planet if you became my wife.”

While a part of you was over the moon upon hearing such good news, another part was thinking about the obstacles. “And Sarah?” you asked quietly, starting with the obvious.

Joel absentmindedly drew circles into the skin on your stomach, his eyes fixed on you, the corners of his lips turning into a smile. “She wouldn’t mind. In fact, she has already made some not-so-subtle comments about this option.”

You couldn’t help but giggle like some stupid schoolgirl. So she would be okay with it. Great. Still, there was one more thing. “My parents would be against it,” you told him, making him nod in agreement. They had met before and your father made it quite clear he was against this relationship. “I can go no contact with them, I know that, but–”

“You love them,” he finished for you. You nodded with a guilty look. “Hey, it’s okay. I wouldn’t force you to go that far. I’d rather try and sort things out with your dad.”

“I don’t know if that’s possible,” you pointed out with a sigh.

He pulled you against his chest and kissed the crown of your head. “I would do anything for you. If I have to face your father, I’ll do it,” he told you with a smile. “So back to the important questions. Will you marry me?”

Resting your chin on his chest, you looked up at him. “You don’t have to ask me just because I brought it up,” you said.

Suddenly he started to laugh and reached for something in the top drawer of his nightstand. It took you some time to register that it was a little blue jewelry box. You gave him a confused look, but he only opened it in silence, revealing an engagement ring. “I bought it about a month ago. Like I said, I didn’t think you would marry me, but I wanted to be prepared.”

“Joel, I–” you began uncertainly, your eyes fixed on his face instead of the ring. His smile encouraged you to be honest and say what you truly wanted to say. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!”

Joel put the ring on your finger then kissed you. You had a hard time believing it was real, that he had been thinking about this for so long. But knowing Sarah was okay with it, you had faith in your parents changing their minds as well. Everything would be okay now. Nothing bad would happen to you two.

#joel miller #the last of us #tlou #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #pedro pascal #the last of us hbo #tlou hbo

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theboredinsomniac · 1 year

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He wasn’t supposed to see you in the dress before the wedding, but when he looked for something in Sarah’s room, he found three polaroid pictures on her desk. It was you in three different wedding dresses, probably on the day you went to pick one in a bridal shop downtown.

Sarah had been excited that you included her and promised to let her have just as much say in choosing the perfect dress as your family and friends. It was good to know that the two of you got along so well. For a while in the beginning he was terrified of the idea of his daughter resenting you.

“Dad, put those down and step away from them,” he suddenly heard Sarah’s stern voice from behind his back.

With a laugh, Joel did as he was told and turned around to face his daughter. “Which one did she choose?”

“I’m not telling you. You’ll see it when the time comes,” she replied with her arms folded over her chest.

“Come on, just give me a hint.”

“Mermaid.”

His eyebrow raised as he thought about this word, totally confused because he had no idea what they had to do with wedding dresses. “Mermaid? What does that mean?”

Sarah’s lips curled into a devilish smile. “I gave you a hint. Now get out. Please.”

“All right, all right, I’m leaving.”

Once he went downstairs to the kitchen, Joel pulled out his phone and dialed Tommy’s number. Once he answered, he said, “I need a favor. What in the hell does mermaid mean when it comes to wedding dresses?”

#just a little something #joel miller #the last of us #tlou #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #pedro pascal #the last of us hbo #tlou hbo

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theboredinsomniac · 1 year

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Maybe in Wonderland • part 3

pairing: dbf!Joel Miller x reader

excerpt: “I don’t regret it. I’ve been thinking about you non-stop for the past week, and you’re right. We’re adults and no one has to know. So if you’re still willing to see where this could go… Maybe we could give it a shot,” he said with a hopeful smile.

summary: Joel finally gives you the green light then takes you out to meet Tommy and Maria. Neither of you expected those two to be so good at deduction.

warnings: age gap (reader in early 20s, Joel in late 40s), no outbreak

word count: 3.5k

story masterlist

note: Joel's silly smile, I love you.

A week passed without Joel showing up in your house. You didn’t know if he was working a lot lately, or if he was deliberately avoiding you, but either way, it hurt your feelings. Seeing him would have been comforting after your first week at work, mostly because it wasn’t what you’d expected it to be.

You spent your days with excel sheets and presentations, barely getting a chance to take part in meetings and see what the others were doing on a daily basis. How would you learn anything if they didn’t let you near real work? Or was it all that was to this job? If so, you might not even want to do this in the long term.

You didn’t want to disappoint your parents by already feeling like giving up, and Joel had always been someone who supported you and listened to you. Sure, you could have called Sarah as a last resort, or maybe one of your friends, but your heart was aching for that man. After your conversation in the garage, after that wonderful kiss you wanted to do again so badly that it physically hurt you.

On Saturday, your parents decided to go out for dinner before visiting a friend of theirs, leaving you alone at home since you didn’t feel like doing anything. You flipped through the channels to see if there was anything good on TV, but there was nothing that could keep your attention. When you were standing in front of the bookshelf, trying to decide what to start reading, the doorbell rang and you wondered who the hell it could be that late in the evening.

Your parents weren’t expected to be back before eleven, and even if they returned sooner, it was their home and they had a key. So you made your way to the front door and looked out the small window next to it. Your breath caught in your throat when you saw Joel stand there, nervously rubbing the back of his neck as if he was contemplating turning around and going back home.

Before he could change his mind, you opened the door and greeted him with a smile. “Joel, what a surprise,” you said cheerfully. “Are you looking for my dad?”

He shook his hand as he let out a sigh. “I saw their car was gone, so I guessed you were alone if you were at home. I actually came to talk to you,” he said somewhat awkwardly.

Never before had you heard Joel speak like that, sounding so unsure of things. He was always the one who seemed confident all the time, knowing perfectly well what he wanted. This was one of the things you liked about him, but now that you saw him like this, it made you wonder what was behind his change of behavior. Well, he came to talk to you, maybe it had something to do with what had happened between you.

“Come in,” you told him as you stepped aside. Joel hesitated, but then he entered the house and went straight to the living room. “Can I bring you anything?”

“No, I–I’m gonna be quick, I promise.”

He took a break after this, probably to gather his thoughts, and the silence was slowly killing you. Each second that passed felt like an hour, and you didn’t know how long you could take it. You wanted things to go back to how they used to be, you wanted him to talk to you again without any hint of hesitation. Raising a brow as you looked at him, you hoped he would finally speak up.

And sure enough, he did decide to talk after your silent begging. “About what happened last week… I–”

“Oh, let me guess. You’re sorry and it can’t happen again,” you told him sourly.

To your surprise, Joel shook his head. “Quite the opposite, actually. I don’t regret it. I’ve been thinking about you non-stop for the past week, and you’re right. We’re adults and no one has to know. So if you’re still willing to see where this could go… Maybe we could give it a shot,” he said with a hopeful smile.

At first you didn’t believe it. You thought he was just messing with you, but then he closed the gap between you with a few steps and pulled you into a desperate, hungry kiss, like he had truly been waiting to do this for a long time. His hands were firm on your back as you pulled you against his chest, keeping you in an iron grasp to make sure you couldn’t escape from his arms. Not like you wanted to go anywhere when you were exactly where you wanted to be.

“I want you,” you whispered against his lips as you began to reach for the hem of his shirt.

With a heartfelt laugh, he ran a finger down your spine and his smile grew even bigger when he heard you say his name with a pathetic little whimper. “I love hearing you say my name, baby. And look at you, you’re so desperate for me,” he mocked you playfully before kissing you again. “But I’m sorry, nothing will happen tonight.”

Your eyes widened from surprise, having absolutely no idea what was happening anymore. “Why?” you whined quietly.

He put a hand on your cheek and placed a soft kiss on your forehead. “Not in this house. Fucking you in your childhood bedroom would surely change my mind about the whole thing and I don’t want that. You’ll have to come over to my place tomorrow so you can get what you want,” he told you with a smile.

“What I want? You say it like you didn’t want me in your bed too,” you joked with a playful grin.

“Oh, I do, and I’ll go to hell for it.” Joel gave you another quick kiss then took a step back from you. “I gotta go, I’m meeting Tommy and Maria tonight. I can’t remember the last time I saw them, and–” He suddenly stopped and his face lit up. “Why don’t you come with me? They know you, Maria really liked you when you met at that barbecue party at my house. We can say I took pity on you for being here alone all night,” he added jokingly.

You gently punched his arm with a laugh. “So you really want to go somewhere public with me?”

“Nothing indecent will happen, I promise. Just a few drinks and a nice conversation with them.”

Nodding, you began to back away from him towards the stairs. “I’ll change into something nice and put on some makeup. Give me fifteen minutes, okay?” you asked him sweetly, then before he could say anything, you turned around and ran upstairs.

You quickly did a no-makeup makeup, then rushed to your closet to find something to wear. It was Joel you were going out with, so you wanted to wear something nice, but it wasn’t officially a date, which meant you couldn’t wear something too nice. You couldn’t let his brother and his wife suspect there was something between you. It was still new for both of you, you had to figure out how to act around each other in public.

The two of you had been close before, he was always nice and supportive, so being able to have deep conversations away from everyone would be nothing new or suspicious. But with you feeling the need to touch him, to kiss him, it would be hard to behave. And from what you’d seen so far, Joel wasn’t the best at keeping himself under control either.

In the end you put on a pair of tight jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, then went back to the living room where he was patiently waiting for you on the couch. When he saw you, his big brown eyes turned brighter, and it made you smile because you still had a hard time accepting that he wanted you. “I’m ready,” you announced.

He stood up and held out his hand for you. You took it without hesitation, and the two of you made your way to his car. “Oh, I texted your dad that you’re going out with us,” he told you matter-of-factly as he opened the door for you. “So we have as much time as we need.”

You had to bite on the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from saying you could just as well go to his place after meeting Tommy and Maria. He wanted to wait, maybe it would be for the best to let him take the lead for now. So in the end you just nodded and got in the car without saying anything. He sat in the driver’s seat and looked over at you one more time before starting the car.

The trip to the bar where they were meeting only took a few minutes, but maybe you felt this way because you were too focused on his hand resting on your thigh the whole time along with the smug smile on his face as he glanced over at you every now and then. You loved how much more relaxed he was now that he let his feelings win the internal battle, and you could only hope being with you would live up to his expectations. For some reason the more real it became, the more you feared the possibility of disappointing him.

“Aren’t you coming?” he suddenly asked, by now standing at your open door.

When the hell did he get there? But you were probably too lost in your sudden rush of negativity to notice he got out of the car a few seconds ago. “Sure, sorry,” you replied with a nervous smile as you got out.

Joel put his hand on the small of your back before he leaned down to place a kiss on your temple. “What were you thinking about?”

How could you possibly tell him? He would just laugh at you for being this insecure when he gave you no reason for it. “Nothing, really. Just work.”

“You’re thinking about work when you’re out with me? We’ll have to change that, won’t we?” he said with a laugh.

Nodding, you flashed a small smile at him. You hated the idea of lying to him, so it was probably for the best if you ended the conversation right there. Seeing the doubtful look on his face, you knew he was aware of something bothering you, and maybe he could tell you weren’t entirely honest with him now. But he let it go, instead he decided to focus on the night ahead. Eventually he pulled away his hand from your back, probably to avoid his brother and sister-in-law’s suspicion.

Maria greeted you with a warm smile, but you didn’t miss the surprised look Tommy gave his brother when he saw you on his side. Joel leaned closer to tell you he would bring you a beer, so you slid into the booth across from the couple and watched them with a nervous smile while you waited.

“So how are you two? It’s been a while since we last met,” you said to break the ice.

While Tommy was watching you with narrowed eyes, a knowing smile playing on his lips, Maria took it on herself to engage in this conversation with you. “Everything’s great. We just came back from a little getaway so we’re fully relaxed and happy,” she replied with a short laugh. “And what about you? Joel mentioned you got a new job.”

You had to bite back a smile at the mention of Joel talking about you. “Yeah, it’s an internship for the summer at a consulting firm. It’s pretty good so far,” you lied.

“And don’t you have anything better to do on a Saturday evening? Maybe with your boyfriend?” Tommy asked with a wide grin on his face.

“Whose boyfriend are you talking about?” Joel asked cheerfully as he sat down next to you and handed you the beer bottle, his fingers discreetly brushing yours.

“Hers,” his brother replied. Joel almost spat out the beer he was drinking at the answer. “Jesus, relax, I don’t want you to choke on your drink. I know it’s you.”

Panic rose in you as you watched Tommy and tried to decide if he was serious or just joking. The man sitting next to you was also experiencing the same thing, but he let out a nervous laugh as he watched his brother. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

Rolling his eyes, Tommy looked over at his wife and waited for her to answer this. “We aren’t blind. You show up with her on your side without telling us beforehand, with your hand on her back right until you noticed us, then there’s the way you leaned so close to her before going to grab a drink for yourselves, and don’t even get me started on how your fingers brushed just now,” she listed with a wide smile.

Beside her the younger Miller kept nodding in agreement, his eyes fixed on Joel the whole time. “Also, I know what you’re like when you’re dating someone you really like. You show every single one of those signs. So? Are we right?”

You looked over at Joel, waiting to see what he had to say. He should take the lead with this one, after all, it was his brother and sister-in-law who figured it out at lightning speed. Letting out a long sigh, his eyes fixed on his brother, he took a swig of his beer. Tommy didn’t back down, he kept watching him with an expectant look.

“If you dare to tell anyone, especially her parents about this, you’re dead to me,” he suddenly said as seriously as he could.

Maria and Tommy exchanged a high-five at this, both laughing because they were right. “We promise not to tell anyone,” she assured you both.

“Yeah, we wouldn’t ruin your fun. So how long has this been going on?” he asked, but before Joel could say anything, an enlightened look showed up on his face. “Wait, she’s the reason why you’ve been so cranky lately!”

“I haven’t been cranky,” Joel muttered.

Meanwhile you just sat there, nervously nursing your bottle while the others talked about this. They immediately noticed there was something between the two of you, and if it was so easy for them, then it would be easy for others as well. What if more people found out? Eventually the rumors would begin to go around and they would reach your family as well. You couldn’t risk that because Joel didn’t want them to know. Not yet.

You were snapped out of your thoughts when you felt Joel’s arm around your shoulder, right before he leaned over to place a kiss on your cheek. “It’s okay, they can keep a secret,” he whispered to you with a supportive smile.

Even though they were the least of your problems, you nodded. After the initial shock melted away, his good mood slowly returned, and you didn’t want to ruin it. He looked so carefree now, you didn’t have the heart to make things bad for him again.

“You’re awfully quiet over there,” Maria told you while Joel and Tommy were focusing on their own little conversation.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, it’s just… You know what? It’s nothing,” you said with a forced smile.

But Maria didn’t let it go, instead she reached out to put her hand on yours and flashed a kind smile at you. “Come on, you can be honest with me. Does it have anything to do with us finding out about you two?” Spot on. You nodded weakly then waited for her to continue. “Listen, just because we noticed these things, it doesn’t mean others will too. Joel obviously likes you very much, I’m sure he would be more careful in the future to keep you safe.”

You took a sip of your beer as you looked over at him. Maybe Maria was right. Maybe you didn’t have a reason to worry. “Thanks, I think I needed this,” you finally told her with a smile.

She returned it then brought up something completely different, successfully averting your thoughts from the possible crisis. The conversation later included the Miller brothers as well, and the four of you were having a nice evening altogether. That it, until a familiar face showed up next to your table.

“Hey, it’s been a while,” Scott said with a smile.

“Scott, hi. I’m sorry I disappeared, I’ve been pretty busy lately,” you said, lying through your teeth since Joel was the reason why you tried to avoid him.

The young man nodded understandingly. “We should catch up sometime. What are you doing tomorrow? We could have lunch together,” he suggested.

A few weeks ago, you would have been on cloud nine if he asked you to join him for lunch. Now? Now you just wanted him to leave you alone for good. You could tell Joel was tense next to you, so you tried to do your best to get rid of him. “That sounds nice. But I promised my dad to help out with something at home,” you said with a sweet smile.

“I can jump in to help,” he offered.

“We’re going too, I’m sure that will be enough, but thanks,” Tommy interjected, flashing a wide grin at the guy.

Scott looked over at him, as if he had just noticed him being there, then nodded. “If you say so. Write me when you’re free.”

You nodded then let out a relieved sigh the moment he disappeared. “I chased him for months with no result. Does he really have to ask me out now?” you complained under your breath.

“I can step back if you’d rather–”

You were quick to shut Joel down. “Don’t you dare.”

With a laugh he took your hand under the table and laced his fingers with yours. “Good, because I wouldn’t have done it,” he told you with a flirtatious smile. “Maybe we should get going, it’s getting late.”

Glancing down at your watch, you noted that it was indeed late. The good company made time fly by fast, and you didn’t want your parents to worry about you being out so late. So you and Joel said your goodbyes and made your way out to his car. Joel had you pinned against the side of his truck, one hand resting on your cheek as he leaned closer. You looked around to see if there was anyone nearby, but when you saw you were alone, you closed the gap and captured his lips in a kiss.

You could tell he was smiling, enjoying this new setup just as much as you did, but he still came to a stop after a few seconds. You whined, your head moving forward when he pulled away, but he shook his head and put a finger on your lips to stop you the exact same way he had done a week ago.

“We should go,” he said, then opened the door for you.

With a disappointed sigh, you got into the passenger’s seat, and watched as he got in as well. For a few seconds he watched you in silence, the silly smile still on his lips when he finally started the engine. You wanted nothing more but to be close to him, you wanted him to hold you in his arms, to do unspeakable things to you in bed.

Damn, you were truly desperate.

Joel didn’t stop on your driveway, instead he parked the car on the side of the road behind a tall bush that hid you well. You let out a sad sigh as you looked over at him, but he was still smiling, the look in his eyes telling you that he was truly happy for the first time in a while. Before you could say anything, he leaned over to give you a soft kiss.

“I’ll invite a few people over tomorrow afternoon for a pool slash barbecue party. But I’ll need some help preparing and then cleaning up,” he said with a grin.

It took you a second to understand what he was trying to say. “I’ll gladly help you. At least it won’t be suspicious if I spend a lot of time there.”

“That’s the plan,” Joel muttered before kissing you again. “Sleep tight, baby.”

“Goodnight, Joel,” you said before getting out of the car and going inside the house.

#joel miller #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #the last of us #tlou #pedro pascal #the last of us hbo #tlou hbo #dbf!joel #dbf!joel miller

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theboredinsomniac · 1 year

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Old flames

pairing: Tommy Miller x reader

summary: Tommy meets you again after almost a decade, an old flame that reignites after seeing you. But life gets in the way and you can't be together... now.

word count: 2.8k

note: Why do I seem to love seeing the Miller boys suffer? This is a pre-outbreak story.

Tommy was speechless. After almost a decade he was standing face to face with you on Joel’s driveway, and this meeting brought back a rush of memories of your short time together. It was nothing serious, at least that’s what he thought at first. He had been in the army in the middle of fucking nowhere, while you were working for the CIA, joining them for about three weeks with your boss.

Late night drinks eventually led to worn and cheap hotel rooms, but while he eventually thought there could be something more between you after you both returned to your respective homes, you didn’t even give him your number. So he was left behind with nothing to remind him of you, along with the fact you clearly just fooled around with him out of boredom or in the hopes of some stress release.

As he took a closer look at your face on the darkened street, he noticed the almost nervous expression on it. This was new. He couldn’t remember ever seeing you nervous. You pushed yourself away from the side of your car and walked up to him with your hands stuffed inside the pocket of your jacket.

“It’s good to see you,” you said cautiously.

He tilted his head to the side, wondering what to say to you after all this time. In the end he decided to be honest with you. “I would be lying if I said the same. But what do I owe the honor of you showing up after all this time?”

Inhaling and exhaling slowly, you gathered your strength to respond to his words. “I have a feeling I did something that hurt your feelings. Does it have anything to do with the fact we haven’t spoken since then?” you asked him quietly.

Tommy wasn’t surprised that you figured it out after the way he finished his question, but he still let out a short laugh at this. “Damn right it does,” he confirmed with a tired sigh. “But I’ll put that aside for now. Why are you here?”

You pulled out a folded paper from your pocket which turned out to be a photo of a familiar man. Tommy cursed in himself, wondering what this idiot did to get the attention of someone from the CIA from all organizations. “I’m here to talk to you about your friend, Gary Jacobs,” you told him, verifying his suspicion that you wanted info about him.

“What about him?”

“I have a few questions.”

There it was, he was right about your intentions. “Oh, everything’s business with you, isn’t it?” he asked with a mocking tone in his voice. You shook your head and gave him a pleading look, silently asking him to be more serious about this. Tommy rolled his eyes then folded his arms over his chest. “All right. What do you need?”

You carefully chose your words as you asked your questions, asking just enough to get valuable information without revealing anything about what you were suspecting. He answered some of them, but there were some tough ones where he drew the line, especially when he had a feeling you already had some incriminating answers from other sources.

Once you were done, you closed your little notepad and showed it back into the back pocket of your jeans. “You do know I could drag your ass in to answer the questions you dodged, right?” you asked him seriously to which he only replied with a shrug. “I won’t do it, don’t worry. Just saying. Thanks for your help. If you happen to remember anything more, or just change your mind about how much you want to tell me, you can reach me here,” you told him as you handed him a business card.

“And that would be?” he asked, showing you the back of the card with handwritten numbers and the name of a nearby hotel on it.

Nodding, you bit on your lower lip before finally speaking up. “That’s my private number and the hotel I’m staying in. I assumed you might not want to reach me through official channels.”

You were always one step ahead. He should have expected it. “How long are you staying in Austin?”

“I still have to take care of a few things so I would say a couple of days,” you replied.

It was his turn to nod, and then he watched you wave goodbye and head back to your car. He hated to admit it, but you were still just as beautiful as you had been all those years ago, and this awakened his old feelings for you. He wanted to hate you, to despise you, but there was nothing he could do against the returning memories. It was so easy to recall how soft your skin was under his touch, how sweetly you whined and moaned when he pushed all the right buttons.

“Fuck,” he muttered before getting into his own car.

********

The next day he and Joel went out to grab a drink in a bar, and without even noticing it, he apparently spent a good part of the evening talking about you; starting with complaints about your sudden appearance, then moving on to the fond memories of the days you spent together back in the day. And Joel, like a good big brother, listened to every word that became more slurred as the evening progressed.

“Why don’t you call her?” Joel asked him when Tommy stopped to order another round. The younger Miller shrugged, not bothering to find the right words to answer this simple question. “Look, it’s painfully obvious that you still have feelings for her. Talk to her while she’s still here.”

“I really, really, really liked her, you know,” he somehow managed to say, looking at his brother with a painful look in his eyes. “She just fucking left and I didn’t even know how to reach her. It’s not like I could just call the CIA and ask for her number. They would have denied her even working there. And going through the phone book, with me having absolutely no idea where she lived, wasn’t an option either.”

Tommy had already told these things to Joel, but the amount of alcohol he had just consumed made him quite forgetful. Also, it’s not like his brother complained, instead he listened to whatever he wanted to get out of his system with an understanding look in his eyes, lightly patting him on the shoulder as a sign of support every now and then.

With a sigh, Joel pulled out his phone and held out his hand. “I know you have her card with you. Give it to me.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

With suspiciously narrowed eyes, he eventually did as he was told, reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket to pull out the card. Joel took it and placed it on the table so he could write the numbers into his phone. Once he checked if he got it right, he hit the call button and put the device to his ear. Tommy was by now panicking, suddenly more sober once he realized what his brother was doing.

He definitely didn’t want to call you, but by the time he could have told Joel to just end the call, he already had the device near his ear. Cursing under his breath, he took it and held it to his ear with a grimace on his face. “Hello?” he asked, waiting to see if you were there at all.

“Who’s this?” you asked kindly, and the sweet sound of your voice made his heart ache.

Tommy drew in a deep breath, his eyes fixed on Joel who was moving his hand to encourage him to finally say something. “It’s Tommy Miller. Just… I don’t even know why I called,” he said, giving his brother a sharp look that said it’s-your-fault.

“Did you change your mind about answering those questions?”

He scoffed. “No. I think it’s more… personal.” A barely audible oh sound left your lips, and he thought about how to continue. If Joel hadn’t called you, he sure as hell wouldn’t have looked for you. But now that he was talking to you, he felt like saying, “What are you doing tomorrow?”

You remained silent for a while so he had to take a quick look at the screen to see if you were still there. “I have to meet someone in the afternoon, but I’m free in the evening. Why?”

“Can I visit you? Just to talk. About anything but Gary,” he clarified before you could say something about the case you were working on.

“I’ll be back by six, you can come any time after that. Room 314,” you told him.

“All right, I’ll be there around seven. See you then.”

“Bye.”

Tommy ended the call then handed the device back to his brother. “Happy?” he asked before reaching for his whiskey.

The older Miller nodded as he put away his phone. “Sort this out with her. Be honest and tell her how you feel. Maybe it will turn out she missed you too.”

“I doubt that,” he said sourly.

Rolling his eyes, Joel took a swig of his beer. “You never know.”

“And what if she rejects me? What if it turns out she’s in a serious relationship with someone?” Tommy asked after a longer period of silence.

He wasn’t sure about seeing you anymore, in fact he was quite certain it was a terrible idea. He should have ended the call instead of talking to you. Fuck, why did he drink this much? He wasn’t thinking straight anymore. He was doing stupid things and Joel was only good for making things worse for him.

As he was beginning to spiral, his brother across from him shook his head and put a hand on his forearm. “Listen, what do you have to lose? I’ll tell you. Nothing. She only stays for a few days, so if she doesn’t want anything from you, you get closure and you’ll never have to speak to her again. But if she wants to give a relationship a chance then you won. Either way, it’s gonna end your suffering. Don’t be a baby. Man up and meet her,” he said seriously.

“Maybe you’re right,” Tommy admitted.

“Of course I’m right. Come on, finish your drink and I’ll drive you home. You should sleep this off.”

********

“314, 314, 314,” Tommy kept repeating as he was looking for the room you were staying in.

He was an idiot for meeting you in your room instead of the bar on the ground floor. For a moment he stopped, wondering if he should call you and ask you to come down instead. Maybe it would be a better conversation with a drink in hand.

But then he found room 314 and stopped in front of it with his hand ready to move. All he had to do was knock and wait for you to open it. But what if he was making a mistake by coming here? What was he supposed to say?

Damn it, why did he let Joel win?

Oh, yes, he was a little too drunk to realize it was a bad idea.

After taking a deep breath, he eventually decided to knock on the door. He heard a faint voice from the room, and after a minute or two the door opened and he saw you standing there in a robe and still wet hair. He couldn’t help but gulp at the sight.

“Hi. I thought you said you were coming here around seven,” you said with a surprised look on your face.

Tommy chewed on his lower lip as he nodded. “Yeah, you said I can come any time after six and I finished earlier,” he explained awkwardly. It was way too tempting to take a better look at your body, but his mother raised him right. “I can come back later.”

“No, it’s okay, come in. Not like there was anything you haven’t seen before,” you added with a smile.

When you turned your back to him, he took a deep breath that he let out very slowly. He had to behave. You definitely weren’t flirting with him. Right? You couldn’t possibly be flirting.

Once he closed the door behind himself, Tommy walked inside and stopped next to you, nervously stuffing his hands into his pockets. He should hurry up and get this conversation over with, he knew that, but he couldn’t think of the right words to begin.

“Were you drunk when you called last night?” you asked him while you sat on the edge of the bed. “Your speech was kinda slurred.”

He was mortified. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he tried to think of a way to respond without making a fool of himself. If he wasn’t careful, you would immediately find out he was drunk because of you, and he sure as hell didn’t want you to know. “We were out for a drink with my brother. We weren’t really counting the rounds,” he replied after a while.

A small smile appeared on your gorgeous lips and the sudden need to capture them in a kiss was getting too much to bear. He had pushed you out of his thoughts for years, seemingly forgetting you even existed, but now that you were back, his feelings for you returned with full force. How in the hell could he fall so hard for you in just a couple of weeks?

“Did your meeting go well?” he found himself asking.

“You know I can’t discuss it with you.”

Nodding, Tommy took a hesitant step towards you. You tilted your head to the side slightly as you looked up at him, and he forgot how to breathe for a moment when he looked into your beautiful eyes. Without realizing what he was doing, he kneeled down in front of you and put his hands on your thighs. You looked confused, but you remained silent.

He took a deep breath to prepare himself, gathering the strength to say what was on his mind. It was hard to be honest with you, and he truly wished he had something to drink before coming to see you. Before he could change his mind, he put a hand on the back of your neck and pulled you into a soft kiss.

You didn’t even hesitate to return it, and when his tongue brushed over your bottom lip, you gladly gave him the chance to slip his tongue into your mouth. It was all too familiar, he could vividly recall this to be just like your kisses back in the day, soft and sensual, and the taste of your plush lips was still heavenly.

But when he slipped his hands between your thighs, you suddenly put your hand on his and pulled it away. He leaned back to give you a confused look, having absolutely no idea what made you change your mind all of a sudden.

“I can’t do this, I’m sorry,” you whispered with an apologetic look.

“You have someone?” To his surprise, you shook your head. “Then what’s the problem? I thought you wanted me too.”

You laced your fingers with his as you let out a long sigh. “You’re involved in a case I’m working on. I can’t sleep with you, not now,” you explained.

It was easy to tell you were truly feeling bad about this. If this was the case, he wondered why you let him come over, especially since you knew he wouldn’t talk to you about his friend. Or were you hoping he would change his mind and spill out Gary’s secrets?

After what felt like an eternity, it was you who spoke first, your voice sweet like honey. “I regret not giving you my number or looking for you after what happened between us. I really liked you, Tommy.”

Nodding with a smile, he leaned in to kiss you again. “I really liked you too,” he said as he placed a quick kiss on the tip of your nose. “So how was that ‘not now’ part in what you said? Does this mean if you close that case there might be something?”

“Exactly. But don’t think you can get into my pants as easily as you did back in the day,” you added with a small laugh.

“All right, I like a good challenge,” Tommy told you as he stood up and walked to the desk by the wall. “Here’s my number,” he said as he wrote it down on the notepad. “So you don’t have to investigate.”

“I’ll call you. I promise.”

Tommy flashed a wide smile at you, then simply left the room. He didn’t want to say goodbye, because if he did, it would have been the end of something. But this was different. This was only the beginning.

#tommy miller x reader #tommy miller #tommy miller x you #the last of us #tlou #tlou hbo #the last of us hbo #joel miller

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theboredinsomniac · 1 year

Text

Maybe in Wonderland • part 2

pairing: dbf!Joel Miller x reader

summary: Joel apologizes for his earlier behavior, but you don't let it go, instead you push him until he breaks and tells you the truth about his feelings.

warnings: age gap (reader in early 20s, Joel in late 40s), no outbreak

word count: 1.8k

story masterlist

note: Thank you for the feedback on part 1, it meant a lot. This is pure angst. Poor Joel, but I need him to suffer. Trust me, things will get a lot better for them in the next part.

In the next few weeks you were more cautious with Scott, suddenly keeping him at an arm's length because of what Joel had told you back at the party. Instead of doing your best to impress him, you focused more on trying to get more information about his private life in hopes of him messing up and accidentally admitting he's seeing someone or just wanting to get you in bed then throw you out.

At the same time you saw much less of Joel. Even if he showed up at your house, he kept his words to you to the bare minimum, and he wasn't as relaxed around you as he used to be. It hurt a little, after all during the last few years he had been nothing more friendly and warm when it came to you.

On the day before your first day at your new job, he came over to help your dad fix a few things in the garage. Your mom asked you to take a glass of lemonade to both of them, so you picked up the tray and walked outside with it. But when you reached the garage, you only found Joel there, too busy working on something in the corner to notice you enter.

“Hey,” you said softly before biting on your lower lip.

Joel turned around and you could see he tensed up at the sight of you. “Hey,” he replied hesitantly.

“Where's my dad?”

“He went to buy a few things we'll need.”

“We didn't even hear him leave,” you noted as you put the tray on a table by the wall.

You poured a glass for Joel, happy to be facing the other way because you could feel the tension in the air between you. It was hard to look him in the eye because you could see he was just as uncomfortable as you were. Something had changed recently, and while you had been thinking about him a lot more since that evening, you weren't sure what was up with him.

Liar–a voice in the back of your mind said.

You had a feeling that he wanted something from you, something he probably shouldn't. But it just made your heart beat faster whenever he was near, mostly because a part of you wanted the same thing. You had thought about him that way before, but he was the forbidden fruit, someone you simply couldn't get.

And now… What if you could?

“Listen,” you suddenly heard his voice from right behind your back, “about what happened at your party… I'm sorry. What I did was unacceptable, I shouldn't have acted the way I did,” he told you quietly.

You turned around, hips resting against the table as you looked up at him. The grim look on his face told you that he truly regretted it, but you didn't have the heart to let him suffer despite his actions causing a turmoil in your brain.

“You didn't do anything,” you assured him, fighting the urge to touch him in an attempt to calm him.

“We both know that's not true.”

The way he said it made your heart ache. He was blaming himself for something that wasn't even such a big deal. You were an adult, and he wasn't the only man his age who acted like this around you. If he only knew how many of them tried to make a move on you in a grosser manner when you went out with your friends, maybe he wouldn't be so nervous.

You gulped, then stepped to him toe to toe, glancing up at his face with a nervous smile that you simply couldn't hide. “Joel, it was nothing, just innocent flirting at most. Unless you want it to be something more,” you added before your brain could stop you.

Joel drew in a sharp breath, breaking eye contact and looking away as you spoke. It was hard to tell if he reacted like this because you crossed a line, or because he had an ongoing battle in his mind about what you'd just told him. But you waited patiently, secretly hoping he would admit that he wanted more.

But he didn't say anything. He did turn back to you eventually, but he remained silent. “Joel, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything, I just… I don't even know,” you said with a sigh.

“Maybe you should focus on guys your age. Maybe Scott wouldn't be that bad for you,” he told you softly, but you could tell he was desperate to say something else.

Shaking your head, you put your hand on his cheek and stroked his skin with your thumb. He automatically leaned into your touch, his eyes closing for a moment while he enjoyed the contact. Your breath caught in your throat as a series of possibilities rushed through your brain.

Suddenly he took your hand gently and pried it off of himself, then took a step back and awkwardly cleared his throat. “I think you should go back inside,” was all he said.

“Joel,” you almost whined when you saw him back away from you.

“No, it's not–I shouldn't even be talking to you about things like this. Just go inside. Please,” he practically begged you, his eyes looking unusually sad as he told you this.

“I'm an adult. You know that, right?” you pressed on, even though a part of you knew it was probably torture for him. “You can tell me anything, even if it's something you don't think you should discuss with me.”

Joel let out a laugh as he walked to the other side of the garage. “I've known you since you were in high school. Jesus,” he said with his hands buried in his already unruly hair.

“So what?” you asked him sincerely, hoping he would change his mind and at least tell you what was on his mind. “Just tell me what's going on in your head because I'm getting really confused here.”

“Your father would fucking murder me if I told you the truth,” he muttered under his breath without looking at you, clearly spiraling.

Shaking your head, you walked over to him and cupped his face with your hands. “Joel, hey, talk to me. Please,” you tried, hoping you could get through to him.

He froze as his eyes finally landed on you, but immediately relaxed when he realized you were truly worried about him. Hesitantly, he put his hands on top of yours, but didn't push you away. It was a small, but important step in your conversation.

Once he took a deep breath, Joel finally spoke up again. “You're wonderful, you know that? Beautiful, kind, smart, and fun. Everything a man can wish for,” he said quietly, his thumb massaging your small hand. You tilted your head to the side, waiting for him to finally lay out all his cards. “I like you, and lately I've been wishing we could be together.”

After all this time, he finally seemed relieved, like the weight of the world had just rolled off his shoulders. You smiled at him supportively, but at the same time your mind was racing. He liked you. So no, you weren't imagining things. The small part of you that liked him back was incredibly happy at this moment.

“What's stopping you?” you asked breathlessly.

His lips curled into a sad smile. “A lot of things. For one, you're young. Too young. Hell, you're younger than my daughter. Then there are your parents. They're my friends. I couldn't look them in the eye if we were dating,” he explained.

“No one has to know.”

“So you want to be my little secret?” he asked with a small laugh and you nodded in response. You meant it. You meant every word. “I can't do that, sweetheart, no matter how badly I'd love to.”

Letting out a sigh, you thought about what to say to that. But nothing came to your mind, it was completely empty at the moment, and all you could feel was the wave of happiness that washed over you.

This is why everything you did after this was automatic, with no plan whatsoever behind it. You stood on your toes and pulled down his head to meet halfway, your lips crushing into his with a desperate need.

Joel returned the kiss instinctively, his tongue invading your mouth to explore it eagerly. It was a wonderful, magical moment, but it didn't last long because he came to his senses and pulled away, putting a finger on your lips to stop you from trying again.

“This can't happen again,” he stated before he nervously licked his lips.

When you took his finger in your mouth and gently sucked on it, Joel pulled it away and gave you a scolding look. It was worth a try to distract him.

“Why can't it happen again? You want it, I want it. We're adults, no one should tell us what to do.”

But instead of agreeing with you, he just shook his head. “I wish it was that easy, but it's not. Just trust me, okay?”

Before you could say anything, you saw your dad's car pull into the driveway. Joel gave you a warning look, although he seemed pretty fallen apart himself. You were sure your dad would notice him being on the edge, and it meant he would probably try to get a proper answer out of him.

Letting out a sigh, you forced a wide smile on your lips and turned to the car, watching as your father climbed out and went to the trunk to get whatever he bought. “Just in time for a nice glass of lemonade,” you said in a cheerful voice before going back to the table to pour him a glass.

“What a warm welcome,” he said with a laugh before he took the drink from you. “Why don't you get Joel a glass too?”

“It's over there, I just didn't feel like drinking,” he informed his friend as he pointed at the table with his untouched glass.

His eyes then fell on you, and it seemed like he had a hard time keeping himself under control in your presence. You were a distraction. A problem. You knew that by now. So when he gulped and tore his gaze away, you tried your best not to start crying on the spot.

“Is everything okay?” your father asked, his eyes darting back and forth between the two of you.

Joel nodded. “Sure. We just had a little disagreement about something,” he replied, earning a questioning look from your father. “It's nothing interesting, believe me.”

That hurt, but maybe this was for the best. You didn't want your father to know about this conversation. Not when Joel was making such a big deal out of the idea of the two of you being together. Why couldn't he just let his feelings win for once? He deserved to be happy, and you knew you could have made him happy.

#joel miller x you #joel miller #joel miller x reader #the last of us hbo #the last of us #tlou #tlou hbo #pedro pascal

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theboredinsomniac · 1 year

Text

Maybe in Wonderland masterlist

pairing: dbf!Joel Miller x reader

summary: You get your dream internship for the summer. As you spend more and more time working, Joel becomes the very person you can honestly talk to about the level of stress you're under. This brings you closer than you should be.

part 1

part 2

part 3

#maybe in wonderland #joel miller x reader #joel miller #joel miller x you #the last of us #tlou #pedro pascal #masterlist

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theboredinsomniac · 1 year

Text

Maybe in Wonderland • part 1

pairing: dbf!Joel Miller x reader

summary: You get your dream internship for the summer so your parents throw a little party to celebrate the news. While you have your eyes on a guy from the neighborhood, Joel tries to convince you that maybe he's not the best choice for you.

warnings: age gap (reader in early 20s, Joel in late 40s), no outbreak

word count: 2k

story masterlist

note: I created a secondary blog to get back into the writing game. What do you think? This is a slow burn so far. I don't know how slow it's gonna be.

You knew that Joel Miller had been stuck in his empty nest syndrome ever since his daughter Sarah moved out after graduating from college two years ago. Since then, he and your father had spent a lot of time together, mostly because his younger brother was more focused on his new wife, Maria, so they didn't hang out as much as they used to.

Your father had been trying to convince him to go out more, meet new people, meet nice women, and take them out on dates. Hell, his own brother even lured him to a double date with a friend of Maria's, but Joel was not interested.

If there was one thing anyone should know about this man is that ever since it became crystal clear for everyone that he wasn't about to get back into the dating game, women had been throwing themselves at him left and right, taking conquering his heart as a challenge. He was in his late forties, hair and beard already graying, but it only made his Southern charm even more appealing.

Yes, you also found him handsome, and yes, you did toy with the idea of what you would do if you ever had him in your grasp. All this despite the big age difference, as you were still going to university, and that you were a few years younger than his daughter. It would have been weird to have anything to do with him, and you doubted he saw you as anything other than a daughter figure, so you put this thought aside.

Things changed a year later, when your dad threw a party for a few family friends to celebrate your summer internship at a big consulting firm. There was a truly hot guy you've been flirting with for a while who was supposed to attend as well, so you put on your best dress, added some light makeup, then went down to the backyard to mingle with the crowd, hoping he would show up as promised.

At one point, as you poured yourself a drink, you noticed Joel watching you while he was talking to someone, his eyes scanning your body with no shame. At first you thought you were wrong, that you were imagining things, but then he flashed a strange, almost flirtatious smile at you before turning his attention back to the couple he was talking to.

It wasn't all that new. There had been innocent touches during conversations, bear hugs that were warmer than the ones your friends gave you, but your brain always labeled them as acts of kindness, not as flirting. What if you've been wrong all along? Shaking your head, you tried to get this out of your mind. No. He was just friendly.

“Here you are,” Scott said when he stopped next to you with a hand resting comfortably on the small of your back.

You didn't even try to hide the wide smile that showed on your lips upon hearing his voice. “I was beginning to think you wouldn't come,” you lied with a laugh as you touched his upper arm. “But I'm glad you're here.”

Scott looked down at you with those adorable hazel eyes of his, taking in every little detail of your face as if that was the first time he saw you from up close. “I wouldn't miss this. Congrats again. You deserved that spot,” he told you with a smile that matched yours.

Things were so easy with him. The conversations were seamless with no awkward silences, and the way he looked at you gave you butterflies. He was working at a law firm, and he had a wonderful career ahead of him based on the reviews he got from his boss.

You were both career-driven, a trait you truly appreciated about him because this way he understood why you were so keen on getting a good job at a good firm during the summer and after college. Your parents loved him, especially your mom, who was already complaining about Scott dancing around you without asking you out on an official date. You didn't care. He just needed time.

“So how are things going at work? I haven't heard from you in a while,” you said with a dramatic pout.

He looked down at you tight-lipped, as if he was trying to decide how to answer you without saying something he shouldn't. You wondered what it was all about, but all of your worries were blown away when he said, “Tough cases we're working on. I'm not happy about who we're defending, but that's part of the job, I guess.”

For a moment you were afraid to find out he had a secret girlfriend. How silly of you. “That must be hard. But I'm sure you'll handle it,” you told him cheerfully.

“Hey, I'll go say hi to an old neighbor then I'll come back and find you, okay?” he suddenly said as he waved to someone behind your back.

“Sure,” you replied with a kind smile. “I'm not going anywhere.”

Once he left, you gravitated toward your parents, seeking comfort in the familiar faces while you waited. As you took a sip of your drink, you noticed the look your mother was giving you, the silent inquiry about your conversation with Scott. You shook your head and turned your attention to the ongoing conversation.

After a minute or two, one of the neighbors in that circle turned to you and said, “Your parents are pretty proud of you. But I can't blame them, I wish my daughter was more like you,” she said with a sigh that made your father laugh.

“Oh, did I arrive just in time for praising her?” you suddenly heard Joel's raspy voice before you felt his arm wrap around your shoulder.

You blushed, not at all happy about this sudden wave of attention from everyone. Sure, it was a party your parents threw to celebrate you, but you didn't expect people to actually care about it. And here was Joel, sounding excited to join the conversation.

Maybe a little too excited.

“I was just saying that her parents have every reason to be proud of her,” that neigbor who had talked before enlightened Joel.

He looked down at you with a wide grin. “Aren't we all proud?” he asked, his hand gently squeezing your shoulder. “I always knew she was the smart one in the family–no offense,” he added with a wide smile as he turned to your parents.

Your father waved his hand nonchalantly. “None taken, especially when you're saying the truth,” he said.

All this praise was getting to your head, so you looked up at Joel and went, “How's Sarah? Does she like her new job?”

The sudden change of topic surprised him, but his features quickly softened as he thought of his daughter. “She loves it. I know everything about what she does and what her co-workers are up to thanks to her detailed reports,” he replied proudly.

You couldn't help but smile at this. You hoped you could tell your parents just as much about your summer job when you get to it, and that they would be just as supportive and proud as Joel was with Sarah. Your relationship was wonderful with your parents, but work hadn't been something you discussed among yourselves before.

“I'll go get another beer,” you said when you noticed your cup being empty.

Joel raised the bottle he had in his hand and noted that it was also empty with a long sigh. “Guess I'll need another one, too. Come on,” he told you, guiding you towards the house.

The two of you walked in silence with Joel's hand still resting on your shoulder as he navigated through the small groups of people with ease. He only let go of you when you reached the empty kitchen and he opened the fridge to get two bottles from it. Meanwhile you were one step ahead, waiting for him with an opener in hand.

“Thanks,” was all Joel said before he leaned against the kitchen island and took a sip of his drink, his eyes fixed on you.

You tried to enjoy your drink, but your thoughts were bouncing around in your brain as you thought of Scott possibly looking for you in one moment, then about the way Joel's eyes were burning a hole in you in the other.

You wanted to be out in the backyard again, just to see if he really was looking for you, but at the same time you wanted to stay inside and find out what was up with the man in front of you. It was confusing, and you really didn't know what to do.

“What's going on between you and that Scott kid?” he suddenly asked. You raised a brow, trying to decide if you heard him right. Was it him asking, or was he just voicing your parents' question? “I saw you two being deep in a conversation.”

Taking a deep breath before exhaling slowly, you thought about how to answer it. There wasn't much to say since he was keeping his distance. “Nothing, really,” you replied with a hint of disappointment in your voice.

Joel picked up on it, because he put down the bottle and crossed his arms over his chest. “Maybe it's better this way,” he noted quietly, earning a confused look from you. “He's known for being a player. I don't know what he told you, but he has a new girlfriend every other week. His mother is so done with his behavior that she has been bugging him about settling down finally.”

You could feel a panic attack crawling closer and closer to you as you listened to Joel. Could it be true? Sure, you remembered seeing him with different girls when he still lived at home with his parents, but that was three years ago, he probably changed since then. He had a serious job, it surely changed him.

“You don't believe me?” he asked with a frown, looking slightly offended.

Shaking your head, you said, “It's not that I don't believe you, I just… I don't know. I kinda want to see where this could go.”

Joel closed the small gap between you and stood only one step away from you. “He doesn't deserve you. He might seem like a good catch, but trust me, he's not. You deserve better,” he added softly with a look in his brown eyes that you couldn't really decode.

You gulped then nodded. What else were you supposed to do? Licking your lips, you broke eye contact and looked down at your shoes, your heart beating a mile a minute. Things only got worse when he reached out to swipe a strand of hair behind your ear.

For the second time tonight you thought he was flirting with you. Something told you that his words could be translated to him being a better choice than Scott, but at the same time your rational mind was trying to convince you that you were dead wrong. He wouldn't flirt with you. You were to young for him.

Right?

When you looked at him again, you noticed that his lips were slightly parted as he watched you, seemingly lost in his thoughts. You didn't know how much time passed with the two of you looking at each other in silence, but it didn't really matter. You were too afraid to move, to break whatever spell this was, and you wanted to see what his next move would be.

“I shouldn't. Fuck,” he suddenly muttered to himself as he buried his hand into his hair and walked away from you.

You were frozen to your spot by the counter, having a hard time understanding what he was talking about. “You okay?” you asked innocently, as if your underwear wasn't already soaking because of the tension between the two of you.

Joel looked at you, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. “Yeah, everything's great,” he replied, obviously lying. “I'm sorry. I should go home.”

Nodding, you bit on your lower lip and watched as he walked outside, probably looking for your parents to say goodbye. And there you were, leaning against the counter as you tried to slow down your heart rate. What the hell had just happened?

#joel miller x reader #joel miller #joel miller x you #dbf!joel miller #dbf!joel #pedro pascal #the last of us #tlou #the last of us hbo #tlou hbo

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