Hi, Hive, Mind. I'm Also Sick, So This Super Helped. Thank You

Hi, hive, mind. I'm also sick, so this super helped. Thank you

REQUEST Hi it’s me again…. Sorry i have new ideas like every second. I LOVE Joel’s thick jacket he wore when he was in snowy Jackson. I was thinking like Joel holding reader EXTREMELY tight like freaking grizzly bear type strength while they are wrapped into his jacket like a burrito. Maybe they’re sick or just really cold, idk i’m sick rn i’m just talking about myself with Joel at this point 😭. Again sorry I dont know how to shorten my words.

Never apologize!!! Pop in anytime, but only for a point form story or little blurb haha! I’m hoping you mean this jacket….

You felt it before you even open your eyes that morning. An annoying tickle, right at the back of your throat, yet also in your nose and somehow your ear.

Joel’s lips pressed softly to your forehead as you stir awake. “Bye, baby. I’ll see you when I get back from patrol. ” He hovers for a minute before the back of his hand meets your forehead. “You feel a bit warm, but you also have like seven blankets on. I love you.”

“Be safe, my love.” You mumble, keeping your eyes shut tightly as if that will rewind time and you can go back to what you and Joel were doing last night. His hands on your hips as you straddle him. His lips touching every spot they can reach.

As he pulled away you were left with the scent of leather and pine needles.

It must be cold out, you thought to yourself, if he’s wearing his thick coat.

As you peel yourself out of bed you noticed the achy joints that usually go along with the itchy throat. All signs of an oncoming cold, or allergies, but it’s the tail end of fall and your allergies are usually reserved for the spring.

A chill spreads through your sore body once out of bed. I don’t have time to get sick.

As the daylight ticks by, the aching intensifies and the itch becomes a sniffle. By the time you leave your job at the stables, you’re freezing cold and have an annoying little cough that will catch you in surprise fits.

When Joel walks in the door you’re in a pair of his wool socks, 2 pairs of sweat pants, a sweater, one of his button down flannels, a winter hat and have a blanket wrapped around you. Your teeth chatter as you stand by the stove, waiting for your water to boil so you can make some of Maria’s homemade loose leaf tea to help fight off whatever you’ve caught.

“Whoa, it’s hotter than the Texas sun in here,” he proclaims as he takes his boots off, as he unzips his jacket and steps into the kitchen he freezes in his tracks.

“Oh, baby girl,” he coos softly. “Are you ok?”

“No,” you say, your voice muffled from how stuffed up you are.

“Aww honey,” he says softly, pulling you into his arms. On instinct your hands come out of the blanket, reaching into his thick leather coat to wrap around his waist. He pulls you in tightly, and then grabs the lapels of his coat to practically plaster you to him.

“I’m so cold,” a sniffle finishing the statement for you as you try to take in the smell of leather you love so much.

Joel starts the walk the two of you towards the bedroom, every muscle in your body protesting as you go. “Let me get you all tucked in and then I’ll make your tea. You should have asked Maria to send someone for me. I would have came home, baby.”

“Everything hurts,” you pout into his chest.

He gets you in bed and then slips his jacket off, laying it on top of you like a blanket before putting the actual bedspread over you.

“I know, I’m here now. Just rest. I’ll be right back with your tea.”

That’s the last thing you remember until the next morning. When you wake up you’re still wrapped in Joel’s jacket, only you’re on your side, your back pressed tightly to his front. His arm is wrapped around you protectively and you sink back into his warmth. You breathe in through your nose, getting just a hint of that leather and pine, and drift off again.

THIS SHIT IS SO GOOD. THE DOMESTICITY THE ROUGHNESS THE BREEDING KINK WHAT A BLESSING TO WAKE UP TO

sunset

requested by @pedropeach as part of the 1k fairy circle

pairing: joel miller x f!reader rating: explicit (18+ mdni) summary: joel comes home and gives you what you need. wc: 2.3k tags: no-outbreak AU, established relationship, domestic bliss?? sorry yeah idk who i am either, smut [oral (f!receiving), unprotected PIV, creampie, light breeding kink and light ddlg (but no use of “daddy”)], able-bodied reader, joel helps her up onto the counter, brief mention of body insecurity, sex in the kitchen (clean your counters, folks!) a/n: i– i have no excuse. anyway, love you, cat!!!! hope you like your request x

1k request masterlist | main masterlist | read on AO3 | @5oh5-notifs for fic updates!

The sun sighs down the sky, yawning and stretching. Soft light splays across the floors, washing the furniture in shades of gold. No lights are on, and your eyes are adjusting to the quickly darkening room. You tap your foot against the wooden floor as you place the last plate from the sink into the dish dryer. Joel should be home any minute. 

When you hear the key turn in the lock, you can feel your heartbeat against your ribs. It doesn’t matter how many times he comes home to you or how many times you come home to him – every time feels like the first. When he crosses the threshold, he sees you standing at the sink in soft socked feet, a too-big t-shirt grazing your thighs below the hem of your shorts.

You hear the smirk in his voice. “Hi, baby.”

“Hi,” you smile, turning on your heels as he drops his keys in the bowl, kicks off his shoes, and drops his work bag next to them. He smells like a full day of work, like sawdust and sweat, and you feel the scent of him somewhere deep in your belly. He crosses the distance to you, and you instinctively back against the kitchen island. He traces the side of your jaw with his fingertips.

“Thank you for doing the dishes, angel.” He smiles, and presses a soft kiss to your cheek. 

“Mmhm,” you murmur, skating your hands along his sides and pulling him into you. You look up at him with those eyes, darkened by the setting sun and the feelings you hold somewhere in your chest for him. For him… only for him. He reads them in your face, in your eyes, the way you ball your fists in the excess of his shirt.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart?” he coos, and the drop in his voice sends heat through your limbs, tingles in your fingertips. 

“Been thinking about you,” you admit, as if that’s news, but today it had been worse than usual. You worked from home, sitting at your desk, doing your best to focus on what was in front of you, but Joel was everywhere in this place; you could still smell him on your skin from this morning, still hear his voice in your head, still feel your hands on his skin and the warmth of his hands on yours.

“Oh?” he questions with another smirk, his fingers tracing lightly up the bare skin of your arms and making you shiver. He knows the answer, but fuck if he doesn’t love hearing you say it. “And what does my baby need?”

Your heart drops into your stomach, settling low and hot in your belly. “Need you.”

Before you finish speaking, his hand finds your jaw, and he spreads his fingers along the length of it until your ear settles between them. He pulls your head into his with a gentle push on the back of your neck and kisses you. His tongue finds yours, melding you together, and you sigh against his mouth. Relief.

He pulls back enough to speak, his lips still ghosting yours. “Need me to do what?”

You let out a shaky sigh, your heartbeat low and deep. You lean your head into his hand as he strokes his thumb over your cheek. You meet his eyes, holding his gaze as you say, “Need you to fuck me, Joel.”

He grunts at that, his lips finding your jaw as he licks kisses into the soft skin where it meets your neck. “Well,” he starts, his hands finding your hips and squeezing, “whatever my girl wants, she gets.”

Placing your hands on the counter behind you, you hoist yourself up as he guides you, settling himself between your knees. You run your fingers through his hair as he kisses down the length of your neck. As you spread your legs around him, he can feel you against his middle through your shorts, hot and needy. He pushes your shirt up with his hands and leans down, gripping your sides as he presses kisses to the soft skin of your tummy, across to your hips, and along the waistband of your shorts. You lean back onto your hands and sigh, his curls tickling your skin and his lips leaving a trail of desire across your body. This was once a place that held much insecurity for you, but with every kiss and touch, the voices subside. He presses his palm against your breast, kneading it in his hand as his lips press into your sternum, your shirt falling around the sides of his head. He steadies your back with his other hand as his fingertips find your nipple. He pulls and twists, and you sigh out a ragged moan. 

“Christ,” he breathes as his mouth presses to yours again. With another tug of your nipple, your jaw drops in a silent moan, and he presses his forehead to yours. “So fucking perfect.”

His hands fall to your shorts, tugging on them as you lift your hips off the counter. He drops them to the floor. He wraps his arms around your thighs and pulls, tugging you into him as he leans in and breathes, licking kisses into your thighs. Your breathing shallows, waiting on what you know is coming. He hooks a leg over his shoulder, letting your other one settle on the counter. His eyes are trained on your cunt, messy and sticky and all his. He spreads you open with his fingertips, eyes glazing over at the sight of you spread out before him. He swipes his tongue over your needy hole, tastes all that you offer him, and smiles into you. You fist a hand into his hair as his lips find your clit, swirling his tongue across it and pulling it into his mouth. He suckles on it and you whine, your head falling back on your shoulders. He continues to eat at you, flicking his tongue over your clit in the shape of every word of love he’s ever spoken to you, and you can’t do anything but moan and squirm and whimper. He holds you as still as he can with his arm hooked around your leg. 

“Jo-oel,” you whine, and he looks up at you. “Need to be filled up, baby,” you sigh, and he can’t help the twitch of his cock or the smirk on his lips.

“Yes you do, don’t you sweetheart?” he coos. He trails his free hand down, fingertips coming to play at your entrance, and once he’s covered them in your slick he sinks his middle finger inside of you, quickly joined by another. It only takes a few pumps of his fingers against your g-spot to send you hurtling over the edge, pussy clamping down around his fingers and a high moan escaping your lips. He doesn’t stop, fucking and licking you through it as you squirm and pant. He looks up at you through hooded eyes, through those beautiful eyelashes, and smirks. Against the skin of your cunt, his nose and mouth and beard shimmering in your release, fingers still pumping in and out of you, he murmurs, “One.”

You’re fucked.

His tongue returns to your clit, flicking and kissing and sucking, his fingers filling you and stretching you just enough. The fire in your belly has not gone out, and you feel like the flame could burn you alive. He curls his fingers ever so slightly, and in a few more pumps, you’re gone again. He moans into you as he tastes your release, and you think you hear the word “Two.”

“You’ve got one more for me, baby, I know you do,” he groans, and adds a third finger. You writhe back on the counter, but he locks you against him with his arm. Somehow, he was right, and as he continues to lick and suck at your clit and fill you with his fingers, you come again. 

This time he slows his fingers, licks your release from your messy hole, presses kisses into your thighs, and nips at the skin as you come down. You clench again and again around his fingers. When your breathing has evened out, he slides his fingers from your body and with his eyes on yours, licks your release from them. “Three.”

Still dressed in his work jeans, his cock presses uncomfortably against the now-wet fabric. You eye it as he stands, one hand still resting on your thigh. The evidence of your orgasms is written all over your face. “Want your cock, Joel,” you murmur, and he lets out a soft laugh. 

“I know, baby, I know,” he coos, his eyes dark. 

“How do you know?” you ask, the question coming out as a sigh. He knows, he always knows.

He smirks, tracing his hand up your thigh to rest where your hip creases. “‘Cause you can still talk,” he whispers, his lips tracing the shell of your ear.

You answer with a shaky moan, your head falling forward against his shoulder. You can take more, you want more. You want everything.

“Mmm…” he sighs. “Come here, needy girl, let me fix that.”

He pulls you off the counter, and your legs wobble as you stand. He’s quick to turn you around in his arms, holding you up against the counter and wrapping an arm around your belly. He licks kisses down your ear, your jaw, your neck, and you lean back into him and sigh. He feels your little sounds in every cell in his body. So perfect for him, so soft, so needy.

He follows you down, kissing the back of your neck as he bends you over the counter. He drags his hands down the length of your back, only to push them back up, pushing your shirt up along with them. He traces his eyes over the curve of your back, your hips, your ass. He kneads the flesh in his palms, watching the way it presses between his fingers. With one hand still on your hip, he undoes his belt and you hear the metal buckle hit the floor. He undoes the button and pulls the zipper, and you can feel your breathing slow, mind empty except for the anticipation of having him inside of you. The next thing you feel is the head of his cock at your entrance as he smears your wetness all over him. When he pushes in, the sound he makes is desperate, relieved. The stretch stings, always so much, and when he finally fills you completely, he’s so deep you feel it in your chest.

“Christ, this perfect fucking pussy sucks me right in every time,” he groans, digging his fingers into your hips. 

“Uh-huh,” you mutter, your cheek resting on the back of your hands, your mouth open as your breathing shallows at the feeling of him stretching and filling you. He pulls back and you moan, but just as quickly he’s fucking back in, pulling your cunt over him again and again, your ass recoiling against his hips with every thrust. The feeling is overwhelming, and you pant and shake as his cock pushes against your g-spot. Your mind is empty, eyes fluttering closed, the only sounds are Joel’s groans mixing with yours and the wet sucking sound of your cunt pulling him in and pushing him back out. He picks up the pace, and you feel dizzy from how hard he fucks you now, the feeling of him all-encompassing. 

“This what you need, sweet girl? Need to get filled up and fucked?”

You cry out instead of answering, another orgasm ripping through your body. Without stopping, he leans down to wrap his arm around your waist, pulling you up and back into his chest. His pace slows, deep and intentional. He murmurs directly in your ear. “Need me to fuck a baby into this sweet little cunt?” 

You moan raggedly and go boneless in his grasp, your head falling back against him at his words. “Yes, baby, need you to–” Another thrust causes you to lose your words, and you moan instead. “Need you to make me yours forever.”

He kisses your ear. “I already am.”

He gently pushes you back down on the counter, grabbing onto your hips and splaying his other hand up the length of your back. He wraps his fingers around the back of your neck and fucks into you, pulling your body against his again and again. His thrusts stutter and he loses his rhythm, his fingers tightening around the back of your neck and shoulder as he comes, fucking his spend deep into the warmth of your body. He stills, shutters, and releases his hold. He leans down to rest his head between your shoulder blades, and sighs warm breath onto the sticky skin of your back. You stay like that, his fingers tracing shapes on your hips as he comes down. When he pulls out, he watches himself dribble out of you and down your thighs. He smiles to himself. You’re on the pill, this won’t take anyway, but someday…

He turns you around, kissing you and pulling your bottom lip into his mouth. “Let me clean you up.”

He leaves one hand on your waist, never not touching you, as he grabs a clean towel from the basket on the counter and wets part of it in the sink. He helps you back up on the counter, your limbs too shaky, and you lean back as he wipes your collective mess off of your thighs, your cunt, cupping it with the cool towel and kissing you again and again.

The golden light of sunset has faded into the bluish haze of late evening, and your body feels heavy and tingly, sticky and warm. You sit up and smile sleepily at him. 

“Stay there, baby,” he smiles. “Let me make us some dinner, hm?”

thank you for reading!! x

WINGS AND ALL??? 😭😭

Wip Wednesday!

Thanks for the tag @evolnoomym 🩵 This week I’ve been finishing up the first chapter of Saddle Me Up, Cowboy and started on the second chapter of Saving What Was Lost.

1. Cowboy! Joel

“My, my. You got your hands full. Don’t you, Cowboy?” you blush, fluttering your eyelashes flirtatiously up at him. You like him even more now.

“Reckon I do,” he chuckles, his thumb tracing light circles against the back of your hand, eliciting goosebumps down your arms.

“Too full to handle one more thing?” you question, giving him your best puppy dog eyes that you can manage.

He shakes his head and smiles warmly. “If that one thing is you then ‘course not. Got all the room for you, darlin’.”

2. Ch 2 of Saving What Was Lost

When he returns and sets the bottle of creamer and a shaker of sugar down in front of you, you crack. A tear slips down your cheek, and you look up at him through glassy eyes. “I can’t remember what I loved to do before they—before they took me. My hobbies, my passions, my likes. I just don’t remember…” Your voice is barely audible as it shakes beneath your broken stature.

God, you’re so broken.

His jaw flexes and his knuckles tighten into closed fists. He seems angry, but those sad brown eyes tell a different story. He’s not mad at you; he’s furious about the ones that took your life away. The murders that tainted and destroyed your life, your mind, your heart. They took everything from you, and Joel knows this. He hates it as much as you do.

He takes a deep breath and relaxes his fingers against the cold material of the kitchen island, his brown eyes focused directly on you. His bottom lip twitches, and then he sighs as he speaks. “It’s gonna take a while, sweetheart. Gonna take time and work to remember what it was you loved before, what you lost. But I have no doubts that you’ll get ‘em back. You’re gonna discover new loves, new passions, new hobbies. And trust me when I say that you will thrive. One day, you’re gonna be soarin’, and all this pain and sufferin’ will be gone. Maybe not completely, but you’re gonna fly, sweetheart. Wings and all.”

Another tear escapes your lash line, and you nod up at him slowly. “Thank you…” is all you can muster out of your highly emotional state. Thoughts are hard after he just painted a masterpiece with his words.

You’re gonna fly, sweetheart. The words stay sealed in a safe space deep inside your mind. No one can take what he just said away from you. Words that were spoken straight from your savior. Words meant just for you. Wings and all.

No pressure tags 🩵 @joelstummy @tonysopranosrobe @pedrospatch @alltheirdamn @katiexpunk

@burntheedges @mountainsandmayhem @magpiepills @almostfoxglove @almostempty

@aurorawritestoescape @milla-frenchy @thundermartini @yxtkiwiyxt @604to647 @syd-djarin

Silent Strain | part v

Outbreak!Joel Miller x f! reader

previous chapter | next chapter

summary: Joel's return came along with some demons following behind and secrets he doesn't want to confess.

w.c: 14k.

Warnings: angst, Joel acts a little dumb during this chapter, fluff, allusions to smut at the end, not proofreading.

a/n: the original chapter was deleted from my laptop and I had to rewrite it again. I didn't remember everything so this one was a bit more dramatic than the original, cuz your writer here was dumped yesterday (💀) besides I wanted to focus on their reunion. The next one is going to be better I promise and Joel is going to behave better🤞✨ thank you so much for your support. Reblogs and comments are always appreciated 💌

dividers by @/saradika-graphics

“I’m sorry,” Joel whispered, his voice rough with emotion. “I’m so damn sorry. I never wanted to leave you—never wanted to hurt you.”

You pulled back just enough to look up at him, your gaze meeting his. His eyes, usually so guarded, were filled with an overwhelming sorrow and love that made your heart clench. He lifted a hand to cup your face, his thumb gently wiping away your tears.

“I didn’t know what else to do,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I thought… I thought I doing what was right. But I know I hurt you”

You nodded, unable to form words, your emotions too raw, too tangled. But you could see it now, the regret, the pain he carried just as heavily as you had. And while the hurt of him leaving still lingered, there was something else too, something stronger: the undeniable bond between you, the love that had survived despite everything.

Joel leaned down, pressing his forehead against yours, his breath warm and shaky. “I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere, I swear.”

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, you let yourself believe it. You closed your eyes, breathing in the familiar scent of him, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest against yours.

As you pulled away from Joel's embrace, your eyes fell on Ellie. She stood awkwardly by the door, her arms crossed over her chest, her face shadowed with guilt. She glanced up at you timidly, as if unsure of her place in all of this. Her usually tough exterior seemed to crumble in that moment, revealing the vulnerable girl beneath.

You could see it in her eyes—the weight she carried, the guilt, the fear that maybe she had been part of the reason Joel left, that she had put him in danger that she had separated Joel from you, that somehow this was her fault. But you couldn’t let her believe that. Ellie had been through enough already, and the last thing you wanted was for her to feel like she didn’t belong like she wasn’t part of your family.

Without a second thought, you walked over to her, your steps steady and sure. She blinked, clearly taken off guard, her eyes widening slightly as you reached her. Before she could say anything, you pulled her into a tight embrace, wrapping your arms around her in the same way you had with Joel. You felt her stiffen at first, uncertain, but then she relaxed into the hug, her small frame leaning into yours.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” you whispered, your voice soft but filled with sincerity.

Ellie didn’t say anything at first, but you felt her arms slowly lift to return the embrace, her fingers clutching the fabric of your shirt like she was holding on for dear life. Her breath hitched slightly, and you could tell she was trying not to cry, to hold onto her usual tough façade. But in that moment, it didn’t matter. She needed to know she was safe, that she was loved.

When you finally pulled back, you kept your hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eye. “It’s not your fault,” you said firmly, wanting her to understand that.

She swallowed hard, her gaze flicking to the floor. “I—I thought you would hate me,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I thought I… messed everything up.”

“You didn’t,” you reassured her, your voice gentle but steady. “You brought him. You both made it back, and that’s what matters. We’re together now.”

Ellie nodded slowly, though the guilt still lingered in her eyes. But there was a flicker of relief too, a small spark of hope that she wasn’t alone in this, that she didn’t have to carry the burden by herself anymore.

Ellie’s eyes shifted down to your abdomen, where your once swollen belly was now gone, her brows furrowing in confusion. “Where’s the baby?” she asked, her voice quiet but filled with curiosity, almost as if she wasn’t sure how to ask the question.

You smiled gently, the warmth of the moment settling in as you glanced toward the bedroom’s door. “She’s sleeping now,” you answered softly, a deep sense of pride and tenderness filling your chest.

“She?” Joel’s voice cut through the quiet, and you turned to see him staring at you with wide eyes, his expression a mixture of awe and disbelief. “A baby girl?”

You nodded, your eyes softening as you looked at him. “Yeah… a baby girl. Rosie.”

For a moment, Joel didn’t move, his eyes flicking between you and the door to the bedroom where his daughter was sleeping, as though he was trying to wrap his mind around the reality of it. His baby girl. The emotions that flickered across his face—joy, relief, maybe even a little fear—were unmistakable.

“She’s beautiful, Joel,” you said quietly, watching as his eyes grew glassy.

Joel swallowed hard, trying to keep his emotions in check, but it was clear that the weight of the moment was sinking in. He blinked a few times, as if still trying to comprehend what you had said. “Rosie…” he whispered, the name sounding foreign but perfect on his lips. He nodded slowly, as if saying it aloud made it more real. “Can I see her?” he asked.

Joel’s gaze softened, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. The man who had once been hardened by loss and pain now stood before you, vulnerable and overwhelmed by the love he had found again. “I… I need to see her,” he finally managed, his voice thick with emotion.

You smiled, your heart swelling at his tenderness. “Go ahead. She’s waiting for you.”

Joel hesitated for a second, as if afraid to move, but then slowly made his way toward the bedroom door. Ellie stayed back, watching the exchange with a faint smile, but there was still something distant in her gaze. You gave her a reassuring look, hoping to bridge the gap that seemed to have formed between you all since they had returned.

When Joel disappeared into the room, you turned your attention back to Ellie. “You did the right thing, Ellie. You brought him back.”

Ellie shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through her hair. “I don’t know… it doesn’t feel like it.”

You stepped closer to her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You did. We’re here now, because of you. And Rosie’s going to need you too.”

Ellie’s eyes softened, the guilt still lingering, but she nodded slowly. “I’ll try,” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

You gave Ellie a soft smile, sensing the weight of everything she had gone through. “Come on,” you said, your voice gentle. “Let’s go see Rosie together.”

Ellie looked at you hesitantly, her brow furrowing as if she wasn’t sure whether she should join, but you could see the curiosity in her eyes. You reached out your hand, offering her the choice. “She’s part of you too, Ellie. You’ve been with us through everything.”

After a moment’s pause, Ellie slowly placed her hand in yours, the corners of her lips lifting into a tentative smile. You led her toward the bedroom where Joel was standing over Rosie’s crib, his hand softly resting on her tiny back as she slept. He glanced up when the two of you entered, his eyes warm and full of emotion, but they softened even more when he saw Ellie.

“She’s real tiny,” Ellie muttered under her breath, taking cautious steps toward the crib. She peered down at Rosie, her eyes widening as if she couldn’t believe the sight in front of her.

“She is,” Joel whispered, his voice filled with awe. He glanced at you, his expression still laced with wonder.

Ellie stood beside Joel, looking down at Rosie with a mixture of fascination and uncertainty. “I’ve never seen a baby this close before,” she admitted quietly, her hand twitching a little as if she wanted to reach out but wasn’t sure if she should.

You gave her a reassuring nod. “You can touch her, Ellie. She’s stronger than she looks.”

Ellie hesitated for a moment before gently placing her hand on Rosie’s small, delicate arm. Rosie shifted in her sleep but didn’t wake, her tiny fingers curling slightly at the warmth of Ellie’s touch. Ellie’s eyes softened even more, and for a moment, she just stood there, her expression almost unreadable, but you knew there was a flicker of something new—a sense of connection.

“She’s… warm,” Ellie whispered, her voice barely audible. There was a tenderness in her gaze now, something you hadn’t seen in a long time, and it made your heart swell.

Joel wrapped his arm around your waist, pulling you close as you watched Ellie bond with Rosie. The three of you stood there, sharing a quiet moment that felt sacred, a moment where everything—despite the hardships, the losses, and the uncertainty—seemed to fall into place.

Joel’s gaze shifted from Rosie to you, his arm tightening around your waist as he pulled you even closer. The softness in his eyes made your heart flutter—there was love there, deep and unwavering, but also gratitude. He looked at you as if he couldn’t believe everything that had come to pass, how the three of you were here, together, in this moment.

“You,” he whispered, his voice rough but tender, “you’ve given me everything.”

His words hit you like a wave, and you felt the emotion rising in your chest. You turned to face him fully, your hands resting gently on his chest as you met his gaze. “Joel…”

Before you could say anything more, he cupped your face in his hands, his thumbs gently brushing your cheeks. “I don’t think I ever believed I’d have this again,” he admitted, his voice low, full of reverence. “A family.”

Your heart swelled, the weight of his words sinking in. The years of survival, of pain, and of loss had hardened Joel in so many ways, but here he was—vulnerable, open, and holding on to the life you had built together.

“We are a family,” you whispered, your voice thick with emotion. “You, me, Ellie, and Rosie. We’re a family, Joel.”

Joel’s lips twitched into a soft smile as he pulled you closer, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “I’m never lettin’ this go. I swear.”

The warmth of his touch, the steady beat of his heart under your hands—it all made you feel safe, anchored in a world that had once felt like it was always slipping away. You tilted your head up, meeting his lips in a soft kiss, a promise shared between the two of you, wordless but understood.

Ellie, sensing the intimacy of the moment, quietly stepped back from Rosie’s crib and gave the two of you space. She glanced back at Rosie with a small smile before slipping out of the room, leaving you and Joel alone in the soft morning light.

Joel kissed you again, slower this time, his lips lingering against yours as if he needed to savor the feeling. When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against yours. “Thank you,” he murmured, his breath warm against your skin. “For all of this.”

The afternoon passed by quietly, the atmosphere shifting slightly as the day wore on. Joel hadn’t explained much about the thin cut on his neck, and though it didn’t look too serious, it was enough to keep you glancing at him, worry bubbling beneath the surface. Every time you caught his eye, he brushed it off, offering a small smile as if to say it was nothing.

But Ellie had noticed it too, and her mood shifted. She grew more silent, retreating into herself in a way that made the room feel heavier. The unspoken tension lingered between the three of you, subtle but present.

Tommy stopped by for a moment, stepping through the door with a light knock. He exchanged a few words with Joel, his eyes flicking between the two of you as if sensing something wasn’t quite right. You tried to keep things normal, making small talk with Tommy about the day, but even he seemed to feel the undercurrent of unease.

When Tommy left, the silence settled in again, more noticeable this time. You looked between Joel and Ellie, feeling the weight of whatever was unspoken, and decided to break the tension the only way you knew how.

“I’ll make us something to eat,” you offered, your voice light as you stood from the couch. “How about some soup? We could all use something warm.”

But Ellie shook her head, her eyes downcast. “I’m not really hungry,” she muttered, her voice low, almost detached.

You glanced at Joel, who shot you a quick look of concern. He cleared his throat, trying to ease the tension. “You should eat, kid. We’ve been on the road for a long time. Ain’t good to go too long without a meal.”

Ellie shrugged, not looking up. “I’m fine,” she said, but there was an edge to her tone, like something was bothering her. Something she wasn’t saying.

Joel frowned, but didn’t push. You could see the worry in his eyes, though—he didn’t like this silence from Ellie any more than you did. You gave her a soft look, stepping closer to where she sat.

“Ellie, if something’s on your mind, you can talk to me,” you said gently, trying to draw her out of the shell she was retreating into.

She glanced up at you, her expression tight, but didn’t respond. Instead, she shifted on the couch and crossed her arms, staring at the floor.

The room felt tense again, and you exchanged another glance with Joel. He reached out, rubbing the back of his neck, where the cut still seemed to be bothering him. You couldn’t help but feel that whatever had happened out there—on their journey back—was still casting a shadow over them both.

Sighing softly, you stepped back towards the kitchen. “I’ll make something small, just in case you change your mind,” you said, your voice quieter now.

As you moved to prepare the food, you couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the silence than just hunger or exhaustion. You knew Ellie had been through something on the road with Joel, something that neither of them had fully opened up about yet. And it hung in the air, like a storm cloud waiting to break.

You paused in the doorway of the kitchen, glancing back at Ellie. The heaviness in the air was hard to ignore, but you tried to push past it. “I’ll just whip up something light,” you began, hoping it might help ease the tension.

But before you could take another step, Ellie’s voice cut through the quiet. “No,” she said abruptly, her tone sharper than you expected. She pushed herself up from the couch, her movements quick and tense. “I’m just gonna… go to bed,” she muttered, avoiding eye contact as she made her way towards the bedroom.

You exchanged a quick look with Joel, his brow furrowed as he watched Ellie’s retreating form. Neither of you said anything, but the worry was evident in his eyes. Something was wrong.

Ellie paused at the door to the bedroom, her hand lingering on the handle as if she wanted to say more, but whatever words she had were swallowed by the silence. She opened the door and slipped inside, closing it softly behind her.

You stood there for a moment, feeling the weight of her absence in the room, the quiet settling in again, even more oppressive now that she was gone. The silence between you and Joel felt loaded, like both of you knew there were things left unsaid, but neither of you knew where to start.

Joel let out a long breath, rubbing the back of his neck again, his fingers brushing the cut there. You moved closer to him, your eyes drawn to the mark on his skin. “You still haven’t told me what happened,” you said softly, your gaze meeting his.

He looked away for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, before finally speaking. “It ain’t important,” he said gruffly, but the way he avoided your eyes told you otherwise.

You gently reached for his hand, your fingers brushing his. “Joel… please.”

He sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping a little as he looked at you. There was a flicker of pain in his eyes, a heaviness he couldn’t quite shake. “We ran into some trouble on the way back,” he admitted, his voice low. “Got separated for a bit, and… things got rough.”

You frowned, your heart tightening with worry. “Separated? How bad was it?”

Joel hesitated, his jaw clenching slightly. “Bad enough,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He glanced towards the bedroom door, where Ellie had disappeared. “She blames herself for a lot of it… thinks she didn’t do enough.”

You sighed, your heart aching for Ellie. “She’s just a kid, Joel. She carries too much already.”

He nodded, the guilt in his eyes unmistakable. “I know. But try tellin’ her that.” He rubbed a hand over his face, exhaustion clear in his posture.

You reached up, brushing a thumb over the cut on his neck. “And this?”

Joel shrugged slightly, as if trying to play it off. “It’s nothin’. Just a scrape.”

You gave him a pointed look, knowing there was more to it than he was letting on, but you also knew better than to push him too hard. Not right now. “You should rest too,” you said quietly, your hand still resting on his arm.

Joel looked at you for a long moment, his gaze softening. “Yeah,” he agreed, though his eyes kept flicking back to the closed bedroom door, the weight of everything still hanging between you both.

You stepped closer, wrapping your arms around him gently, offering him the comfort he wouldn’t ask for but clearly needed. He held you close, his grip a little tighter than usual, as if grounding himself in the moment.

The room was quiet, save for the soft creak of the floorboards as you swayed gently back and forth, cradling Rosie in your arms. Her tiny breaths were slow and even, her little face peaceful as she slept against your chest. The warmth of her body, the softness of her skin—it all made the world outside seem far away for a moment.

You hadn’t noticed Joel standing in the doorway, his presence silent but heavy. He watched you, his expression unreadable, a strange mix of emotions flickering across his face. There was something in his eyes—something you couldn’t quite place—that hadn’t been there before their return. A shadow that lingered, clinging to him like a weight he couldn’t shake.

As you continued to rock Rosie gently, you felt a subtle shift in the air, a tension that hadn’t been there before. It was as if whatever they had been through out there hadn’t just stayed outside the walls of your home—it had seeped in, affecting everything. You could feel it in Joel’s silence, in the way Ellie had shut down, in the way Joel’s hand kept rubbing the back of his neck as if the cut there was more than just a physical wound.

You gently lowered Rosie into her crib, your movements careful, as though you could shield her from the unease that had crept into your home. Her tiny body shifted for a moment before she settled back into sleep, completely unaware of the turmoil that seemed to swirl around her.

When you finally turned, you saw Joel standing there, his hand resting on the doorframe. His gaze was fixed on you, but he didn’t say anything. He just stood there, watching, his face a mask of quiet contemplation.

“Joel?” you asked softly, taking a step toward him.

He blinked, as if snapping out of a trance, his eyes flicking away from you. “Didn’t mean to disturb you,” he muttered, his voice low.

“You weren’t,” you replied, your voice just as soft. “Is everything okay?”

Joel didn’t answer right away. He stepped into the room a little further, his gaze landing on Rosie in the crib. His face softened for a moment, but that strange tension still lingered. “I don’t know,” he admitted finally, his voice quiet and unsure, something that didn’t sit right with you.

You walked up to him, close enough to place a gentle hand on his arm. “Whatever it is, we can talk about it, Joel. You don’t have to carry it all alone.”

He looked down at you, his jaw tightening slightly. There was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t bring himself to. “No…I just wanted to say goodnight to the both of you.”

“What do you mean?” you asked, almost whispering “Aren’t you sleeping here?”

“I thought you didn’t want me to.” He said, and the way and the voice you wanted to hear almost seemed to break you.

Joel’s words hit you like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, you were speechless. The vulnerability in his voice, the way he spoke as though he believed he was no longer welcome here, made your heart ache.

You stepped closer, your hand still resting on his arm, this time with a firmer grip, as though you were afraid he might slip away. “What?” you whispered, your voice shaking slightly. “Why would you think that?”

Joel’s eyes flicked down, avoiding yours, his jaw clenched tightly. “After… everything. Thought maybe you’d want some space,” he muttered, his voice rougher now, as though forcing out the words was difficult for him.

His insecurity broke something inside you. This man, who had carried so much for so long, was now standing in front of you, so unsure of where he stood, and it was almost unbearable.

“Joel,” you said softly, lifting your hand to his cheek, trying to get him to look at you. “I spent all this time missing you, how could you think that?”

Joel finally looked up at you, his eyes softening just enough for you to see the flicker of doubt that had settled deep inside him. “I know you missed me,” he said quietly, his voice still rough but tinged with the slightest trace of vulnerability. “But missin’ someone and wantin’ them back after what they’ve done… those are two different things.”

Your heart ached at his words. “Joel, don’t you understand?” you whispered, stepping closer to him, your hand still resting on his cheek. “I missed you. The real you. The man who keeps me safe, the one who’s always been there, no matter what.”

He swallowed hard, his gaze searching your face as if trying to find the truth in your words. “You don’t know what I’ve done,” he said softly, almost as if he were confessing. “Out there, with Ellie… I didn’t know if I could come back from it.”

His words hung heavy between you, and you could feel the weight of everything he wasn’t saying—everything he believed he had to carry on his own. But you weren’t going to let him carry it alone anymore.

“I don’t care what happened out there,” you said firmly, shaking your head. “Whatever you did, whatever choices you had to make to keep Ellie safe, to come back to me… it doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

Joel’s jaw tightened again, but this time, it wasn’t out of anger or frustration—it was the struggle of holding back the emotion threatening to overwhelm him. “How can you still say that? After all this?” he rasped, his voice thick.

“Because I love you, Joel,” you said, your voice breaking as you spoke the words you hadn’t said in so long. “And nothing will ever change that.”

For a moment, he just stared at you, his eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and something else—something deeper, more profound. Then, slowly, he let out a shaky breath, his shoulders slumping slightly as though the weight of his guilt was beginning to ease, just a little.

Without saying a word, Joel pulled you into his arms, holding you tight against his chest. You felt the tension in his body, the way he seemed to be holding on as if you were the only thing keeping him steady.

“I don’t deserve you,” he whispered into your hair, his voice barely audible.

“You deserve everything,” you murmured back, your heart full as you held onto him just as tightly. “Everything, Joel.”

The two of you stood there for what felt like an eternity, wrapped in each other’s warmth, neither wanting to let go. Eventually, Joel loosened his grip, pulling back just enough to look at you. His eyes were still soft, but the weight of all that he had carried was visible in the dark circles under them. You traced a finger along his jawline, feeling the roughness of his stubble, a small smile tugging at your lips despite the heaviness of the moment.

“Let’s get some rest,” you said quietly, your hand sliding down to take his. Joel nodded, and together you climbed into bed, the weight of everything still lingering, but with the promise that you weren’t alone anymore. As you settled under the blankets, Joel wrapped an arm around you, pulling you close, his warmth grounding you.

You both fell asleep for the first time in months with a sense of peace.

Hours later, you stirred, feeling the coolness of the sheets beside you. Your hand instinctively reached out, searching for Joel, but the space next to you was empty. Groggily, you opened your eyes, glancing around the room. The soft moonlight streaming through the window cast shadows across the bed, and that familiar sense of panic began to rise in your chest.

You sat up, the dim room spinning for a moment before you steadied yourself. Rosie’s crib was empty, too. Your heart raced as your mind immediately went to the worst possible scenarios, a habit you'd developed in this unforgiving world.

“Joel?” you whispered into the quiet, your voice cracking.

Pushing back the blankets, you swung your legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, your body tense with fear. You listened for any sound—a cry, a murmur—but the house was eerily silent. Barefoot, you padded towards the door, your pulse hammering in your ears. You stepped out into the hallway, your senses heightened, trying to catch any sign of movement.

Then, as you reached the end of the hallway, you saw them.

Joel was sitting in the old rocking chair near the window, cradling Rosie in his arms. The soft creak of the chair rocked in rhythm with his gentle humming, a melody so faint you could barely make it out. Rosie’s tiny face was nestled against Joel’s chest, her tiny fingers clutching at his shirt. Her eyes were closed, her small body relaxed in his strong arms.

The sight of them together made the panic that had gripped you slowly melt away, replaced by a deep, overwhelming tenderness.

Joel’s back was to you, but as if sensing your presence, he turned his head slightly, catching your gaze in the moonlight. His eyes softened when he saw you standing there, his lips parting as if to apologize.

“She woke up,” he whispered, his voice low and raspy in the stillness of the night. “Didn’t want to wake you, so I brought her out here.”

You stepped closer, your breath evening out now that you knew everything was okay. "You didn’t have to," you murmured softly, kneeling beside the chair so you were level with them. Your hand reached out to gently brush Rosie’s soft hair, the steady rise and fall of her breathing soothing your own nerves.

Joel shook his head, his gaze dropping back to Rosie. “I wanted to,” he admitted quietly, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m obsessed with her. She is so beautiful”

His words hung in the air, and for a moment, all the fear, all the guilt he had carried for months seemed to dissolve in the quiet of this simple, intimate moment.

You leaned your head against Joel’s arm, taking in the warmth of him, the scent of Rosie’s baby skin. It wasn’t just about surviving anymore. It was about moments like this, holding on to the people you loved, no matter how broken the world outside was.

“She is” you replied, “You know, since she was born, I spent nights without finding myself able to sleep.” You low your gaze to Rosie, “I couldn’t. I was alone and I was scared something could ever happen to her. I needed to stay awake and make sure she was breathing”

Joel listened to you, but his heart broke a little inside, he had left you behind all this time when you needed him the most. Just when you have started your motherhood.

Joel’s chest tightened at your words, the weight of his absence settling heavily on his shoulders. He looked down at Rosie, the tiny bundle of innocence cradled in his arms, and the guilt surged through him once more. You had been alone during some of the most vulnerable moments of your life, forced to navigate the terrifying responsibility of motherhood in a world that had already taken so much from both of you.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, thick with regret. His gaze remained fixed on Rosie, his thumb gently stroking her soft cheek. “I should’ve been here. I should’ve been by your side. You shouldn’t have had to go through any of that alone.”

You could hear the pain in his voice, the anguish of a man who felt he had failed the people he loved most. It wasn’t his fault. You knew that. The world had forced his hand—forced him into impossible choices, and you had never blamed him for leaving. But hearing him say those words still made your heart ache.

“It wasn’t your fault, Joel,” you said softly, your hand reaching for his. “I know why you had to go with Ellie. I know you didn’t have a choice.”

Joel’s jaw clenched, his face hardening for a moment as if he were wrestling with the weight of everything he had done—everything he had seen. His eyes flicked back to yours, and you could see the vulnerability there, the raw emotion he rarely let anyone see.

“I still should’ve been here,” he repeated, his voice rough. “I should’ve found a way.”

You gave his hand a gentle squeeze, trying to ease the guilt that was eating away at him. “You’re here now,” you said quietly, your voice full of understanding. “That’s what matters.”

Joel nodded, but you could tell he was still struggling to accept that. His gaze fell back to Rosie, his expression softening as he watched her sleep so peacefully, oblivious to the storm of emotions swirling around her parents.

“She’s everything,” Joel murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful in my life.” He smiled and looked at you for a moment “Well, after you.”

A warmth spread through you at Joel’s words, his soft smile disarming in a way that always managed to pull you in, no matter the weight of the world outside. You felt a flush rise to your cheeks, but you couldn’t help the smile that tugged at your lips. In moments like this, it was easy to forget the pain, the loss, and everything you had both endured to get here.

“Well,” you replied, your voice barely above a whisper as your fingers gently brushed Rosie’s tiny hand, “you have good taste.”

Joel chuckled softly, the sound low and comforting. It was rare to hear him laugh these days, and when it happened, it felt like a small victory against the darkness that so often consumed him. He looked at you again, his eyes full of affection, and for a brief moment, the guilt and weight he carried seemed to ease.

“You both deserve better,” he said quietly, the smile fading just a little, as the seriousness returned to his voice. “I’m gonna do everything I can to make sure you have it.”

You shook your head slightly, your hand still resting on his arm. “Joel, you’ve already given us everything that matters. We’re here, together. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

His eyes softened at your words, and he swallowed hard, as if trying to push down the emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. “I don’t know how you do it,” he whispered, almost as if he were speaking to himself. “How you still see good in me after everything I’ve done.”

You leaned in closer, your hand moving to cup his cheek, guiding his gaze back to yours. “Because I know who you are, Joel. I know your heart. Everything you’ve done.

He let out a long breath, his jaw tightening for a moment before relaxing under your touch. “I hope you’re right,” he murmured, his eyes searching yours as if seeking reassurance.

“I am,” you said firmly, your thumb gently stroking his cheek. “You’re a good man, Joel. Rosie and I are lucky to have you.”

For a moment, he just looked at you, the flicker of doubt in his eyes slowly giving way to something softer, something more certain. He leaned in and kissed you, his lips gentle but full of emotion, as though trying to convey everything he couldn’t say with words.

When he pulled back, there was a quiet resolve in his eyes. “I’ll never stop tryin’ to be better for you. For her.”

“You already are,” you whispered, your heart full as you rested your forehead against his.

In the quiet of the night, with Rosie’s steady breathing filling the space between you, it felt like—despite everything—the world had given you something precious. Something worth fighting for.

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the small window of your bedroom, casting a warm glow over the room. The remnants of last night's conversation lingered in the air, but today felt different—lighter somehow. There was a sense of normalcy that hadn't been present for months.

You woke up to the sound of soft baby coos coming from Rosie’s crib. Blinking your eyes open, you smiled as you watched her tiny hands wave in the air, her chubby cheeks flushed with the early morning light. She was your world, and seeing her safe and content filled you with a quiet peace.

Joel stirred beside you, his arm still loosely wrapped around your waist. It was rare for him to sleep in this late, but after everything, it was no surprise he needed the rest. You gently slipped out from under his arm, careful not to wake him, and padded over to Rosie. Her wide eyes looked up at you as you picked her up, her little body warm and soft against yours.

“Good morning, baby girl,” you whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She gurgled in response, her hands reaching for your face, and you couldn’t help but laugh softly.

You took your time feeding her, sitting by the window and watching the town of Jackson slowly come to life. The quiet streets were starting to bustle with activity as people moved about, tending to their duties within the community. It still amazed you sometimes—the sense of order and peace here, despite everything the world had become.

Jackson had become home, and though the scars of the past were still healing, there was a strange comfort in the routine of it all. Maria had been incredibly kind, offering you a place in the community and even helping you when Rosie was born. She had become a friend, and in many ways, a guiding force in these new chapters of your life.

As you dressed Rosie for the day, Joel finally stirred from the bed, sitting up with a groan. He rubbed his eyes, still clearly tired, but there was a soft smile on his face when he looked over at you and Rosie.

“Mornin',” he said, his voice rough from sleep.

“Morning,” you replied, walking over with Rosie in your arms. Joel reached out, gently taking her from you, and held her close, pressing a kiss to her tiny head. You watched as his entire demeanor softened in her presence, the way it always did. He’d always been protective, but since he returned, there was something deeper, a sense of devotion that went beyond just survival.

“You sleep, okay?” you asked, sitting down beside him.

“Yeah,” he said, nodding. “Better than I have in a while.”

You smiled at that, glad that he was finally starting to find some peace. “Good.”

Joel shifted his focus back to Rosie, his fingers tracing little patterns on her arm. “Ellie’s probably out there already,” he muttered, glancing towards the window. “Kid doesn’t know how to take it easy.”

You chuckled softly. “That’s Ellie for you.”

After a few more moments of quiet, Joel handed Rosie back to you and stood, stretching his arms with a grunt. “I’ll go find her, make sure she’s not causing too much trouble.”

You smiled at him, watching as he pulled on his boots and threw on his jacket. Before leaving, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “I’ll see you later,” he murmured.

“See you,” you replied, watching him disappear out the door.

Just as Joel reached for the door, ready to head out, a sharp knock echoed through the small house. His hand froze on the doorknob, and he exchanged a quick glance with you, his brows furrowed in slight confusion. It was early, and few people usually came by without warning.

Joel opened the door cautiously, his posture tense, ready for anything—old habits that hadn’t quite left him despite the relative safety of Jackson. Standing on the other side of the threshold was a man Joel hadn’t seen before—tall, with a calm but confident demeanor. He was holding a bag slung over his shoulder, the kind you’d expect a doctor to carry.

Joel’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you?” he asked, his voice guarded, suspicion still lacing his tone even though the man seemed harmless enough.

The stranger smiled politely, though there was a flicker of recognition in his eyes. He glanced over Joel’s shoulder for a moment before responding. “We didn’t have the chance to meet before you left,” he said, his voice calm but measured. “I’m Paul. I’m the doctor here. Helped deliver Rosie while you were… gone.”

At the mention of Rosie, Joel’s expression shifted, though his guarded stance didn’t relax completely. The words carried weight, and though Paul’s tone was professional, Joel didn’t miss the subtle undertone that lingered in the air—one that said Paul had been there, playing a part in your life during his absence.

Before Joel could say anything, you appeared behind him, Rosie still nestled against your chest in the sling. Paul’s eyes flicked toward you, his expression softening for a moment, but the tension between you two was palpable. Your shoulders stiffened, your demeanor guarded and cool, the remnants of your last conversation with him still fresh in your mind.

Paul nodded slightly in your direction. “Morning,” he greeted, though his tone lacked the warmth it once held.

You gave a short nod in response, your voice clipped. “Morning.”

Joel’s eyes darted between the two of you, immediately picking up on the tension. His jaw clenched as he studied Paul, piecing together the unspoken dynamic that was hanging heavy in the air.

“So, you’re the one who delivered Rosie,” Joel said, his voice tight, though he managed to keep his tone neutral. He didn’t know the details, but something about Paul’s presence seemed to rub him the wrong way.

Paul nodded, though his gaze lingered on you for a moment before shifting back to Joel. “Yes. I was just doing my job—helping out where I could.”

Joel’s expression hardened at the subtle implication in Paul’s words, but he didn’t rise to it. He simply crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes locking onto Paul’s with a quiet intensity. “Well, we’re grateful,” he said, his voice low, but there was no mistaking the edge to his tone.

Paul, sensing the unspoken challenge in Joel’s words, shifted his weight slightly. He was used to navigating the delicate lines of life in Jackson, and he had expected this moment ever since Joel had returned. Still, it was clear that whatever he had with you—whatever connection might have developed during Joel’s absence—wasn’t something either of you had wanted to acknowledge out loud.

“I just wanted to stop by and check on Rosie,” Paul said, his voice more professional now, though the tension in the air was still thick. “Make sure everything’s going well.”

“She’s fine,” you answered, your voice a little too sharp. “Healthy and strong.”

Paul gave a tight-lipped smile, glancing at the baby for a brief second before looking back at you. “I’m glad to hear it.”

There was a brief silence, the air between the three of you charged with unspoken words. Joel, standing protectively in the doorway, hadn’t moved an inch, his presence a wall between you and Paul. He may not have known everything that transpired during his absence, but it was clear he didn’t like the familiarity in the way Paul looked at you.

Finally, Paul cleared his throat, sensing he wasn’t welcome to linger any longer. “Well, if you need anything—medically, I mean—don’t hesitate to let me know,” he said, his tone polite but distant now.

Joel gave a slow nod, stepping forward just enough to send the message loud and clear. “We won’t,” he said, his voice low and firm.

Paul hesitated for a brief second before nodding in return. “Alright then,” he said, his eyes flicking to you one last time before turning and walking away, his figure retreating down the path that led back into town.

The door clicked shut as Joel closed it behind him, his broad shoulders tense. He turned back to you, his eyes searching your face for an explanation, though he didn’t say anything at first. The silence hung between you for a moment, thick with unspoken questions.

You sighed, shifting Rosie in the sling as you glanced at Joel. “We used to get along” you said quietly, though you knew that wasn’t nearly the whole story. “He’s just been… around.”

Joel’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t press further, at least not now. He ran a hand through his hair, clearly still working through the emotions that Paul’s presence had stirred in him. “Yeah,” he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to you. “Seems like it.”

But Joel didn’t push the subject. Instead, he looked at you—really looked at you—and softened. “You okay?” he asked, his voice gentler now, his protective instincts kicking in.

You nodded, offering him a small smile. “I’m fine, Joel,” you reassured him. “I’ve got everything I need right here.”

Joel’s expression softened at your words, and without another word, he stepped closer, wrapping an arm around you and pulling you into his chest, Rosie nestled between you. Whatever tension Paul had stirred, it was fading in the warmth of Joel’s embrace.

“Yeah,” he murmured, his voice a quiet promise. “So do I.”

Joel pressed a kiss to the top of your head before pulling away, his eyes searching yours as if making sure you were really okay. “I’ll go find Ellie,” he said softly. “We’ll catch up later.”

You nodded, appreciating the space he was giving you to process everything. “Okay. See you later.”

He gave you one last look, his eyes full of unspoken promises, and then he left the house, heading toward town. With Rosie still nestled against your chest, you decided it was time to get moving too. There was work to be done, and you needed to meet Maria.

As you stepped outside into the cool morning air, the town of Jackson bustled quietly around you. It was early, but people were already up, tending to chores, patrolling the perimeter, and preparing for the day. The sense of community here was something that still amazed you. After all the chaos of the world outside, this felt almost like a slice of peace.

You made your way toward the main square, where you knew Maria and Tommy were likely to be. As you walked, you spotted Maria near the stables, talking with a couple of people from the patrol team. Tommy was beside her, nodding along, his expression serious. It looked like they were discussing something important.

You approached them quietly, not wanting to interrupt. Maria glanced up first, her eyes softening when she saw you approaching with Rosie. “Hey,” she called out with a warm smile. “How are my two favorite girls?”

You smiled back, though it didn’t quite reach your eyes. “We’re good,” you replied, adjusting Rosie in the sling. “Joel just left to find Ellie.”

Maria’s smile faltered for a brief second as she exchanged a glance with Tommy, who cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“Actually, I was just about to head over and talk to Joel,” Tommy said, his tone thoughtful. He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly weighing something in his mind.

“About what?” you asked, your curiosity piqued.

Tommy hesitated, looking at Maria as if seeking confirmation. She gave him a small nod, and he turned back to you. “We’ve been talking about bringing him more into the fold here,” Tommy said, his voice cautious but sincere. “My brother’s a survivor, a leader, he’s got experience we could use. We were going to see if he’d be interested in helping out with the patrols.”

You blinked, processing what Tommy was saying. You hadn’t had much time to think about what Joel’s place in the community would be now that he was back. He’d barely had time to settle in, but you knew him—knew that staying idle wasn’t something he could do for long. He needed purpose, especially after everything that had happened with Ellie.

You blinked, trying to absorb Tommy’s words. Joel had only just returned, and the idea of him immediately taking on more responsibilities—especially something as dangerous as patrols—made your chest tighten with worry. But deep down, you knew Tommy was right. Joel was never the type to sit on the sidelines. He needed a purpose, something to focus on, especially after all he’d been through with Ellie.

Still, it didn’t stop the flicker of unease that crept up your spine. After months apart, the thought of him being out there again, facing potential danger, was difficult to process.

“Patrols?” you asked, your voice cautious. “Isn’t that a bit… soon?”

Tommy looked down for a second, nodding as though he understood your concern. “Yeah, it is soon,” he admitted. “But Joel’s always been a natural leader. He knows how to handle himself, and frankly, we need people like him. Things have been good here, but we can’t get complacent.”

Maria, standing beside Tommy, placed a comforting hand on his arm before turning her gaze to you. “We wouldn’t throw him into anything too heavy right away,” she reassured. “He could start small—short patrols, nothing far from Jackson. But Tommy’s right. Joel’s experience could really help. Plus…” She trailed off, her eyes softening. “It might be good for him. To feel like he’s contributing again.”

You swallowed hard, glancing down at Rosie in your arms. She was still sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the adult worries surrounding her. You wanted nothing more than to protect this little bubble of safety you’d found—Joel’s return, Rosie’s birth, the stability of Jackson. But you also knew Joel, knew he wasn’t the type of man to sit back and let others take risks for him. He’d need to be out there, to feel useful again.

“I understand,” you said quietly, glancing back at Maria and Tommy. “It’s just… after everything, I worry.”

Tommy’s expression softened, and he took a step closer. “I get it. Believe me, I do. He’s my brother. I don’t want him out there if he’s not ready either. But I also know Joel. He’s got that look in his eyes again, like he’s ready to do something. We’ll ease him into it. I promise.”

Maria nodded in agreement. “We’ll keep him close at first. Small tasks. He’s got a family now, and we know that changes things. We’re not going to put him in unnecessary danger.”

You let out a slow breath, nodding. You trusted Maria and Tommy, but it was still hard to think about Joel going back out there, even in a limited capacity.

“I’ll talk to him,” you finally said, your voice steady but laced with emotion. “See how he feels about it.”

Tommy smiled, relieved that you were open to the idea. “Thanks. That’s all we ask. Just see how he’s doing. We won’t rush him into anything.”

“Yeah, and we’ll make sure he’s not doing too much too fast,” Maria added. “We want him here with you and Rosie.”

Her words helped ease the knot of anxiety that had formed in your chest. You knew they meant well, and they were right—Joel would need to find his place in the community sooner or later. He wasn’t the type to stay idle, and if this was a way for him to regain some sense of normalcy, then maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing.

“Okay,” you said, offering them both a small smile. “I’ll talk to him when he gets back.”

Maria reached out and gave your arm a reassuring squeeze. “Thank you. We’re all in this together. And whatever happens, you’ve got our support.”

Tommy nodded, giving you a grateful smile before glancing off toward the direction Joel had gone. “I’ll head out soon and find him, have a quick chat.”

Maria gave you a warm smile, her eyes brightening a little as she mentioned the event. “Oh, and remember—we’ve got that little spring party tonight.” She glanced at Rosie and then back at you, a playful glint in her eyes. “It’s just a small gathering, but it might be a nice chance to get out for a bit. You and Joel could use some time to unwind, you know?”

You felt a small smile tug at your lips, though part of you felt unsure. A party, even a small one, seemed like such a foreign idea after everything that had happened. Still, it might be good for both of you—especially Joel—to spend some time around the community, easing back into this new life.

“I don’t know,” you admitted, glancing down at Rosie, who was still peacefully asleep. “We’ll see how Rosie does today. I don’t want to push her too much.”

Maria nodded, completely understanding. “Of course. No pressure. But if you can make it, even for a little while, it might be good for you two. There’ll be food, music—something light to take our minds off things for a bit.” She smiled gently, knowing how much everyone could use a distraction in these times.

You nodded, appreciating her thoughtfulness. “I’ll talk to Joel about it,” you said. “Maybe we’ll stop by for a little while.”

Maria gave you a quick nod. “That’s all we ask. It’s more about getting everyone together and sharing some moments, you know?” She gave a quick wave, then turned and headed back toward the stables.

As you returned to the house, the thought of the spring party lingered in your mind. It had been so long since you’d even thought about anything remotely festive, and a part of you longed for that sense of normalcy, even if just for a few hours. Maybe it was exactly what you and Joel needed—a chance to reconnect, to feel like a part of this world again, rather than just surviving day to day.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over Jackson, you and Joel bundled Rosie in her little blanket and made your way to the spring party. The sounds of laughter and music began to fill the air as you approached, and the sight of string lights flickering overhead created a cozy, inviting atmosphere.

Ellie was already there, bouncing on her toes with excitement as she spotted you. “You made it!” she exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy. She rushed over, throwing her arms around you. “I was starting to think you wouldn’t come!”

“Yeah, well, we thought we’d stop by for a bit,” you replied, a smile breaking across your face. “How’s the party so far?”

“It’s awesome! They have all kinds of food, and they set up games over there!” Ellie pointed enthusiastically to a group of kids gathered around a makeshift ring toss. “Come on! You have to try it!”

Joel shifted beside you, looking a little uncertain as he surveyed the crowd. You could see the tension in his shoulders, the way he glanced around as if trying to find a safe spot. It was understandable; he’d been out of this world for so long, and while Jackson had been a haven for you, it was still new territory for him.

You squeezed his hand gently, your fingers intertwining with his as you leaned in closer. “It’s okay,” you whispered softly, catching his eye. “Just take it one step at a time. We’re in this together.”

He looked down at you, his expression softening as a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Yeah, okay,” he replied, his voice steadying as he gave your hand a reassuring squeeze in return. The warmth of his touch grounded you, reminding you that despite the chaos of the world outside, you had each other.

As you moved further into the party, the inviting scents of grilled meat and baked goods filled the air, and the lively chatter began to wash over you like a warm wave. People were mingling, laughter echoed around, and for a moment, it felt like life could be normal again.

Ellie dashed off to join Dina, and you and Joel found a spot near the food table. A couple of the neighbors waved at you, smiles on their faces, and you waved back, feeling the warmth of community wash over you.

“See? Not so bad,” you said, nudging Joel gently.

He nodded slowly, but you could still see the wariness in his eyes. “Just… takes some getting used to,” he admitted, his gaze flickering over the crowd.

“Want something to eat?” you asked, trying to keep the mood light. “They have a ton of options, and I think I saw some pie over there.”

Joel chuckled softly, shaking his head. “You and your sweet tooth,” he teased, and that made you smile wider. “You sure you want me to go get it?”

“Why not?” you replied playfully, nudging him again. “It’ll give you a chance to stretch your legs. And I could use some pie—just to fuel me for the games later!”

He let out a small laugh and finally relented, giving you a nod. “Alright, I’ll grab something. Just stay close, okay?”

“Always,” you said, watching him head toward the food table. As he walked away, you felt a swell of affection for him. Despite the uncertainty, he was making the effort, and that meant the world to you.

You moved over to a nearby group of friends who were chatting and laughing, trying to embrace the festive atmosphere. You exchanged pleasantries, laughter bubbling up as stories were shared, and for a brief moment, you allowed yourself to forget about the outside world.

A few minutes later, Joel returned with a plate of food in one hand and a slice of pie in the other. He had a small smile on his face, and you felt a rush of happiness at the sight. He’d found a little comfort in this gathering, and that made everything worth it.

“Got your pie,” he said, handing it to you with a flourish, and you beamed up at him.

“Thank you, sir!” you replied playfully, taking the plate from him. You took a bite, letting the sweetness fill your mouth, and couldn’t help but moan a little at the deliciousness.

Joel chuckled, shaking his head at your exaggerated response. “You really do love that stuff,” he teased, his eyes sparkling with warmth.

You leaned closer, your heart full as you whispered, “You love me for it.”

He smiled, that genuine smile that reached his eyes. “Yeah, I reckon I do.”

As you savored the slice of pie, Maria and Tommy approached, their faces glowing with the warmth of the gathering.

“Hey there!” Maria called out, waving as she made her way over. “Looks like you two are having a good time!”

“Just indulging in some pie,” you replied, grinning. “Can’t resist a good dessert.”

Tommy chuckled, glancing over at Joel. “Looks like you’re fitting in pretty well, brother,” he said, giving Joel a playful nudge.

Joel shrugged, but the small smile on his face gave him away. “Tryin’,” he replied, looking around the festive scene.

Maria’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Ellie, who was bouncing on her toes. “Are you ready to play some games, Ellie? I think they set up a scavenger hunt over there.”

Ellie’s eyes widened with excitement. “Yes! Come on, let’s go!” Without waiting for a response, she dashed off toward the games, clearly eager to participate.

“Hey, wait up!” you called after her, laughing as you turned to Joel. “I guess we’re off to the races!”

“Go on,” Joel said, his voice a mix of encouragement and amusement. “I’ll keep an eye on Rosie. You go have fun.”

“Are you sure?” you asked, glancing down at Rosie, who was nestled peacefully in the blanket.

“Yeah, I got this,” he assured you, his tone firm yet gentle. “You enjoy yourself. I’ll be right here.”

You felt a flutter of gratitude and affection in your chest. “Okay, I’ll be back in a bit,” you promised, leaning down to place a soft kiss on Rosie’s head before you turned to join Ellie, Maria, and Tommy.

As you made your way toward the games, you could hear laughter and cheers ringing out, the atmosphere buzzing with energy. The kids had gathered around a makeshift obstacle course set up with old tires, rope swings, and a small climbing wall, and Ellie was at the front, explaining the rules with fervor.

“Okay, everyone! You have to complete the course and grab a prize at the end!” she shouted, her enthusiasm infectious.

You joined the group, cheering on the kids as they took turns navigating the course. The competitive spirit ignited, and soon you found yourself swept up in the fun, encouraging everyone to give it their best shot.

As you laughed and cheered with the kids, completely absorbed in the games, Joel’s mood began to shift. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Paul standing with a group of friends, but what caught his attention was the way Paul kept glancing in your direction, a subtle smile on his face.

Joel's jaw tightened, and the familiar surge of protective instinct kicked in. His mind raced, and those nagging voices from his past began to creep in, planting seeds of doubt and jealousy. He couldn't shake the feeling, even though he knew better. He turned toward Tommy, his voice low and edged with frustration.

“That guy, Paul,” Joel muttered, not bothering to mask the irritation in his tone. “What’s the deal with him? Why is he looking at my woman like that? Something happen between them or what?”

Tommy’s eyes widened in surprise at Joel’s bluntness, and Maria, who was standing beside them, gave Joel a look of disbelief. “Joel,” Maria said slowly, her voice firm but calm, “you’re overthinking things.”

Tommy raised his eyebrows, clearly taken aback by Joel’s sudden shift in attitude. “What the hell, man?” he asked, keeping his voice down so others wouldn’t hear. “Do you think she was enjoying your absence when you were gone?”

Joel clenched his fists at his sides, his gaze flicking back toward Paul, who was still casually chatting with his friends, seemingly unaware of the storm brewing in Joel’s mind. “Then why’s he smilin’ at her like that?” Joel pressed, his voice laced with a mix of jealousy and insecurity he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Joel,” Tommy said, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice, “you need to chill. Paul is just friendly. He’s trying to make everyone feel welcome here.”

Maria stepped in, trying to defuse the situation. “Listen, Joel, you’re back now. That’s what matters. You have to trust her.

Joel's jaw tightened, “I trust her, not him”. the protective instinct surging within him. He couldn’t help but think about the time he’d spent away from you, the emptiness that had consumed him during those months. The thought of someone else trying to fill that void made his stomach churn. “I just don’t like how he’s looking at her,” Joel muttered, the frustration evident in his voice.

“You were just implying she had something with him when you were gone” Tommy recalled, clearly mad at his brother.

You approached the table, your heart sinking as you overheard the tension in their conversation. The mention of Paul sent a jolt of unease through you, and you felt your stomach twist. Joel's protectiveness, while understandable, was beginning to feel suffocating.

“Are you really implying that I had something with him?” you interjected, your voice steady but laced with disbelief. The three of them turned to you, surprise evident on their faces. Joel’s expression shifted from irritation to concern, his eyes widening at the realization of how his words had come across.

“No, I—” Joel started, but you raised a hand to stop him, your gaze firmly fixed on him.

“I heard it” You took a deep breath, trying to remain calm.

You reached out and gently took Rosie from Joel's arms, cradling her against you as if she were a shield from the growing tension. The moment your daughter nestled against you, her small weight grounding you, you felt a surge of emotion.

“Look, Joel,” you said, your voice a mix of frustration and hurt, “I know you’re protective. I get that. But you’re making this harder than it needs to be.” You glanced down at Rosie, brushing your thumb against her tiny cheek. “I can’t have you doubting me or our family because of some guy who-“

“Who what?” he pleaded, urging to you to say something.  

“I’m going home” you said.

The words hung in the air between you, sharp and sudden. You could see the flicker of surprise in Joel's eyes, his mouth opening slightly as if he were about to protest, to argue, but you raised a hand to stop him.

“Don’t,” you said, your voice steady but trembling with the weight of your emotions. “Just… don’t.”

His jaw clenched as he watched you, the realization of what you meant beginning to sink in. “You’re seriously gonna walk out on me over this?” he asked, disbelief coloring his tone.

“I’m not walking out on you, Joel,” you replied, your heart racing. “I’m walking away from this moment. I need some air. I need to think.”

“Think about what? About me? About us?” His voice was low, laced with urgency, but there was a desperation in his eyes that made your heart ache. “You can’t just leave like this.”

“I can, and I will,” you said, your voice firm despite the tears that threatened to spill over. “I don’t want to fight, especially not in front of Rosie. It’s not fair to her or to us.”

He took a step closer, his expression shifting from disbelief to concern. “You know I didn’t mean it like that,” he said softly, his tone pleading now.

I hear what Tommy said, and if you thought that low of me...My baby needs to rest, goodbye" you say to maria and tommy and glance at joel for the last time before leaving.

With a heavy heart, you turned away, clutching Rosie closer to your chest as you made your way toward the exit. Each step felt like a weight pressing down on you, but you couldn’t stay in the atmosphere filled with unspoken words and tension.

As you walked past Maria and Tommy, you managed a tight smile, trying to keep it together for the sake of your daughter. “Take care of him,” you said quietly, your voice barely above a whisper. You could feel their worried gazes on your back as you continued onward.

“Wait!” Joel called out, but you didn’t turn around. You could hear the urgency in his voice, the underlying desperation, but you needed this space to breathe, to process everything that had just happened.

The cool air hit your face as you stepped outside, the sounds of laughter and festivities fading into the background. You walked a short distance away, finding a quiet spot where you could gather your thoughts without the weight of Joel’s piercing gaze on you.

Once you were alone, you let out a shaky breath, feeling the tears finally spill over as you sank down onto a nearby bench. Rosie stirred in your arms, and you gently rocked her, humming softly to soothe her. She was your anchor in this chaotic world, a reminder of the love that had once felt so solid between you and Joel.

“Why does it have to be so hard?” you murmured to Rosie, wiping the tears away with the back of your hand. “I just want us to be happy.”

"You're just made to be a lover" tommy spoke to Joel.

The moment Tommy’s words reached Joel’s ears, they hung in the air, echoing with a weight that only added to his frustration. “What do you mean by that?” Joel snapped, turning to his brother, his eyes narrowing in irritation.

Tommy raised his hands in a placating gesture, his expression a mix of sympathy and understanding. “I mean, look at you. You care so much about her. You always have. But sometimes, it seems like you’re letting your fears get in the way of that love.”

Joel’s jaw clenched as he ran a hand through his hair, clearly wrestling with the truth in Tommy’s words. “You think I don’t love her?” he shot back, though the defensiveness in his voice felt more like a shield against his own vulnerability.

Tommy took a step closer, lowering his voice to a calmer tone. “No, I’m saying you love her too much to let your insecurities ruin it. She’s been through a lot. She spent the last time of the pregnancy alone; she gave birth alone and you came here and implied that of her?”

“I didn’t.” Joel defended himself.

“You did, Joel,” Tommy said, frustration creeping into his voice. “You made it sound like she might’ve been unfaithful while you were gone. That’s not fair to her, especially after everything she’s been through.”

Joel’s face fell, the weight of Tommy’s words hitting him hard. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, his voice low and shaky. “I just… I can’t help but feel like I missed so much. I’m scared of losing her to someone else. I’ve already lost so much.”

“I get that,” Tommy replied, his tone softening. “But the way you said it? That’s not the way to show her you care. She needs you to be her rock, not a source of doubt.”

Joel clenched his fists, battling the feelings of guilt and fear that churned inside him. “I’m trying, man. It’s just hard. I spent so long thinking about her, and now I see this guy looking at her, and I can’t help but feel…”

“Jealous?” Tommy interjected. “Protective? Whatever it is, you’ve got to channel that into something positive. You don’t want to drive her away now that you’re reunited.”

“Go and talk to her before I broke your nose” maria interfered.

Joel turned to Maria, surprise flickering in his eyes. He could see the concern etched on her face, and it reminded him of just how much he had to lose if he didn’t get this right.

“Maria, I—” he started, but she shook her head, cutting him off.

“No more excuses, Joel,” she said firmly. “You need to go to her now. Don’t let your fears ruin what you’ve fought so hard to get back. Go!”

With her encouraging shove, Joel felt a surge of urgency wash over him. He glanced at Tommy, who nodded in silent support, and then turned to make his way through the gathering crowd, his heart pounding in his chest.

He arrived at home and scanned the living room for you, his eyes darting between the furniture and spotted you, sitting on the sofa with Rosie in your arms. The sight of you made his heart ache, how beautiful you looked, but how pained your expression seemed as you cradled their daughter.

Taking a deep breath, he approached, and as he got closer, he could see the small frown on your face. It felt like a kick to the gut. “Hey,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

You looked up, with a guarded expression. “Joel,” you replied, your tone cool but not entirely dismissive.

“I, uh… I wanted to talk,” he said, his hands instinctively moving to his hips as he tried to figure out how to say what was in his heart. “About what I said earlier.”

You glanced down at Rosie, who had just started to stir, and then back up at him, your expression a mixture of hurt and uncertainty. “What’s there to say?” you asked, your voice steady but laced with emotion.

He took a deep breath, stepping closer but maintaining a respectful distance. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I let my jealousy get the best of me.” He glanced down, his brow furrowing. “I shouldn’t have implied that you were unfaithful.”

Your heart ached at the sincerity in his voice, but the hurt still lingered. “You know how hard it was for me, right? I felt so alone while you were gone. I just wanted to believe everything would be okay when you returned.”

“I get that,” Joel replied, his gaze earnest as he stepped closer. “But it doesn’t excuse my behavior. You were strong while I was away.”

Your breath caught as you prepared to open up, knowing the conversation was far from over. “Joel, while you were gone… things were hard, really hard,” you began, glancing down at Rosie in your arms. The memories of those lonely nights came rushing back, and it took everything in you to keep your voice steady. “Paul… he tried to twist things, make me believe I couldn’t do this on my own. That being a mother, without you, was too much for me.”

Joel’s face tightened, his fists balling at his sides as he absorbed your words. “What are you saying?” His voice was strained, his eyes searching yours for an explanation.

“He never said anything outright, but he was always there, trying to plant seeds of doubt,” you continued, looking down at Rosie as you spoke. “He made it seem like you weren’t coming back, that you couldn’t. He’d say things like, ‘You’re strong, but no one can do this alone,’ or that maybe you’d forgotten about us out there.”

Joel’s expression darkened, the anger simmering beneath the surface, though you could tell he was fighting to keep himself in check. “He said that?”

You nodded. “It was subtle, but it was enough to make me question myself. I think part of me confused the help he was giving with something more. Like maybe, for a second, I thought he was being a friend.” You took a deep breath, forcing yourself to keep going. “But that wasn’t real. I was vulnerable, and he knew it. I was just trying to survive without you, to raise Rosie, to keep going. But I never wanted him, Joel.”

Joel’s shoulders slumped; the tension still present but mixed now with sorrow. He ran a hand over his face, clearly trying to process everything. “So, he tried to make you believe I wasn’t coming back,” he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. “I hate that he did that. But I hate even more that you had to go through that alone.”

You sighed, feeling the weight of those lonely months lift just a little, now that the truth was out in the open. “I didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t want to make it worse or seem like I was giving up on you. But it’s why I reacted the way I did tonight. When you questioned me like that… it brought back all those fears.”

You stood up, your heart still heavy but feeling lighter than it had in days. As you carefully laid Rosie down in her crib, her tiny chest rising and falling peacefully, you felt a moment of calm settle over you. The room was quiet, but you could feel Joel’s gaze on you, filled with regret and turmoil.

You turned back to him, hoping that this moment of truth between you had brought you closer. But as you met his eyes, you could see the storm of emotions still brewing within him. He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in the tense lines of his body.

Before you could say anything, Joel abruptly turned and walked toward the door.

“Joel?” you called softly, your voice uncertain.

But he didn’t stop. He reached for the doorknob and stepped outside without a word. You hurried after him, calling his name a little louder this time. “Joel, wait!”

By the time you reached the door, he was already halfway down the path, heading back toward the party. You stood at the threshold, the cool night air brushing against your skin, watching as he disappeared into the distance.

Joel marched back toward the party, his footsteps heavy with frustration and unresolved tension. The festive atmosphere was still buzzing with laughter and music, a stark contrast to the storm swirling in his mind. He pushed through the crowd, his eyes scanning for Paul. There was an urgency in his stride, a need to confront the gnawing feeling that had been eating away at him.

When he finally spotted Paul, standing near a group of people by the makeshift bar, Joel’s jaw clenched. The doctor was casually sipping from a glass, laughing at something someone had said, unaware of the brewing confrontation.

Joel approached him, his body tense, his eyes locked onto Paul. As he drew near, the noise of the party seemed to fade into the background, his focus narrowing entirely on this one man. Paul looked up, his smile faltering slightly when he noticed Joel’s intense expression.

“Hey, Joel,” Paul greeted him, his tone friendly but cautious. “Didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”

Joel didn’t waste any time. “We need to talk,” he said, his voice low and steady, but there was a dangerous edge to it. The kind that made everyone around them take a step back, sensing the tension.

Paul raised an eyebrow, clearly confused but trying to keep things light. “About what?”

Joel took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. “About what you said to her. About the things you’ve been puttin’ in her head.”

Paul blinked, his confusion deepening. “What are you talking about? I’ve only ever tried to help—”

“Help?” Joel cut him off, his voice growing sharper. “You think telling her she couldn’t do it on her own, that she needed someone else—needed you—is helpin’?”

Paul’s expression shifted, the easygoing smile he usually wore fading into something more serious. “Joel, I didn’t mean it like that. I was just trying to offer support. She was struggling, and I—”

“I don’t need you explainin’ what she needed,” Joel interrupted again, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. “You don’t get to decide what’s best for her. She’s stronger than you give her credit for you don’t know what she’s capable of.”

Paul held up his hands in a placating gesture, clearly trying to defuse the situation. “Look, I was just trying to be there for her. You weren’t around, and she—”

“And that’s what I’m here for now,” Joel growled, stepping even closer until he was right in Paul’s face. “I don’t care what you thought you were doin’. Stay away from her from my girl.”

“She is your girl, but you abandoned when she was pregnant?” Paul chuckled.

“I didn’t.” Joel replied.

“Oh, come on man, I even know your daughter better than you do”

Joel’s fists clenched tighter, his entire body going rigid at Paul’s words. The implication that Paul knew his own daughter better than he did cut deeper than he’d expected. His breath came out in harsh, shallow bursts as he stepped even closer to Paul, their faces inches apart.

“You don’t know anything about me or my family,” Joel growled, his voice dangerously low. “Don’t act like you were doin’ me a favor. You think you stepped up? You think you know her? You don’t know what we’ve been through.”

Paul didn’t back down, though his face remained calm. “I was there when you weren’t, Joel. She needed someone, and I was the one who made sure she didn’t go through it alone. I’m not trying to make this harder for you, but you have to accept that things changed while you were gone. She changed. She had to.”

Joel’s chest tightened, the guilt he had been fighting against all night rising to the surface. He knew Paul wasn’t entirely wrong—he had been gone, and she had faced some of the hardest moments of her life without him. But the thought of someone else filling that space, being there when he couldn’t, made his blood boil.

“You don’t get to play that card,” Joel bit out, his voice trembling with barely contained fury. “You think just because you were there for a few months, that makes you more important to her than I am? I’ve known her longer than you ever will. And Rosie? She’s my daughter.”

Paul’s calm demeanor shifted slightly, a smirk playing on his lips as he crossed his arms. “You know, Joel,” he said, his tone infuriatingly smug, “maybe she deserves someone who was actually there for her. Someone who can protect her and Rosie. A real man.”

Joel’s breath hitched, his pulse pounding in his ears. Those words—a real man—echoed in his mind like a trigger, striking at every fear and insecurity he had buried deep down. His hands shook with the effort it took not to lash out right then and there.

“Watch your mouth,” Joel growled, his voice dangerously low, his fists twitching at his sides. He could feel the rage simmering just beneath the surface, threatening to boil over. “You don’t get to talk about what she deserves.”

Paul didn’t flinch. If anything, he seemed to grow more confident, feeding off Joel’s rising anger. “But I am talking about it. Because I care about her, Joel. I care about Rosie. Maybe more than you do. You think she needs someone like you, someone who’s always running off, disappearing? Maybe she needs stability. Someone who’s here. A real family.”

Joel’s vision tunneled, the sound of blood rushing in his ears. He took a threatening step forward, his voice barely above a whisper but filled with venom. “I swear to God, Paul. You don’t know what the hell you’re talkin’ about. I was gone because I had to be. To keep her safe. To keep them safe. You’re not part of that. You never will be.”

Paul took a deep breath, stepping closer as if testing Joel’s limits. “Maybe that’s what she’s thinking too. Maybe that’s why she hasn’t said anything to stop me. Maybe she’s realized what a real man looks like.”

Joel snapped.

In one swift movement, he grabbed Paul by the collar, pulling him close. The crowd around them gasped, the festive atmosphere suddenly charged with tension. Joel’s face was inches from Paul’s, his voice a low, menacing growl. “You don’t get to talk about her like that. Ever.”

For a brief moment, it felt like the world held its breath. Paul’s smirk faltered, and for the first time, a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face.

Before Joel could take things further, Tommy’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. “Joel! Stop!”

Tommy rushed forward, putting a hand on Joel’s arm and pulling him back, but not without effort. “This ain’t the way, man. Not here. Not like this.”

Joel released his grip on Paul, pushing him back roughly. His chest heaved with the effort to contain his rage; his fists still clenched. He glared at Paul for a long moment, every muscle in his body tense.

Paul straightened his shirt, trying to regain some of his composure, but the smugness was gone, replaced by something else—caution.

“Stay away from my family,” Joel warned, his voice ice-cold. “Or next time, we won’t be talkin’.”

With that, he turned and stormed off, leaving the party behind him, his mind a whirlwind of anger, guilt, and frustration. He had to get away—away from Paul, away from the eyes of the crowd, and away from the fear that maybe, just maybe, Paul had hit a nerve that Joel wasn’t ready to confront.

Tommy caught up to Joel, grabbing him by the arm and steering him toward the house. Joel’s anger was still palpable, his body tense as they walked, the night air doing little to cool his heated emotions.

When they finally reached the door, Tommy let out a sigh, glancing at Joel, who looked like he was ready to explode again at any moment. “Look, I know you’re pissed. But you can’t keep letting this stuff get to you,” Tommy said, his voice firm but compassionate. “Paul ain’t worth it. And neither is risking your family over some nonsense he’s spewing.”

Joel didn’t respond, his jaw tight as he reached for the doorknob. But before he could open it, Tommy stopped him, his tone more serious now. “You need to fix this, Joel. Not just with her, but with yourself. You keep pushing, and you’re gonna lose her. Don’t let that happen.”

Joel glanced at his brother, his expression conflicted, but he nodded slowly, the weight of Tommy’s words sinking in. He pushed open the door, stepping inside.

As they entered, you were sitting in the living room, cradling Rosie as you fed her. The sight of Joel and Tommy walking in together, the tension still hanging in the air, made your eyes widen. You weren’t sure what had happened, but the look on Joel’s face told you that it hadn’t been good.

Tommy shot you an apologetic glance, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “I know you and my brother had a fight,” he said, his voice low and cautious, “but please, control him. He’s about ready to knock someone’s head off.”

Your heart sank as you looked at Joel, seeing the storm of emotions swirling behind his eyes. You sighed softly, shifting Rosie in your arms before standing up. “What happened?” you asked quietly, already dreading the answer.

Joel stood there, looking at you, the regret evident in his posture. “Nothin’ good,” he admitted, his voice rough. “I had a word with Paul. It got heated.”

Tommy let out a heavy sigh. “That’s one way of puttin’ it,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Look, I’ll leave you two to talk. But seriously, you both need to figure this out. I’ll be around if you need me.” With that, he gave you a reassuring nod and stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Now, it was just you, Joel, and the unspoken tension filling the room. Rosie cooed softly in your arms, oblivious to the weight of the moment.

“Joel,” you began softly, your voice careful. “What did he say to you?”

Joel looked at you, his eyes filled with a mix of frustration and vulnerability. “He said things… things that got under my skin. Made me feel like I’ve been failing you, like he’s been fillin’ in for me. And I just… I lost it.”

You bit your lip, the weight of his words sinking in as you studied his face. Despite the frustration and anger still simmering in him, there was a deep vulnerability beneath it all. Without saying a word, you reached out, taking his hand gently. Joel glanced down at your fingers intertwined with his, and you tugged softly, guiding him toward the sofa.

“Come on,” you whispered, leading him to sit down. Joel hesitated for a second but followed your lead, sinking into the cushions. You could feel his tension, the lingering heat from his encounter with Paul still coursing through him.

Once he was seated, you moved closer, surprising him as you sat down on his lap, your legs on either side of him. You wrapped one arm around his shoulders, your other hand brushing softly through his hair as you settled in. His arms instinctively came up to hold you, though his grip was tentative, as if he were afraid of losing control again.

You leaned in close, your forehead resting gently against his as you spoke softly, “Joel, I need you to hear me. I know you’re angry, and I know you’re hurting, but you don’t have to carry that all by yourself. You’re back and I’m still here. Rosie’s here. Ellie’s here. We’re not going anywhere.”

He looked up at you, his brow furrowed, eyes searching yours for reassurance. “I’m tryin’, but every time I think about what you went through while I wasn’t here…” He trailed off, his voice breaking slightly as the guilt washed over him.

You cupped his face with both hands, forcing him to look directly at you. “You didn’t fail me, Joel. I made it through because I had to—for Rosie, for us. And I’m still here because I want to be with you. But you have to stop letting those fears control you. Paul doesn’t matter. You do. This family does.”

He sighed, his hands tightening slightly around your waist, his body starting to relax just a little under your touch. “I hate feelin’ like I’m not enough. That someone else could step in and—”

“Nobody’s stepping in, Joel,” you interrupted firmly, your voice soft but insistent.  “Nodoby could replace you.”

He leaned his head back against the sofa, his eyes closing as he took a deep breath, as if your words were the first bit of air he’d gotten in hours. You stroked his cheek, your thumb tracing the line of his jaw, trying to soothe the storm within him.

“You have to let this go,” you whispered, leaning in closer, your lips just inches from his. “We’re here. We’re together. And nothing—no one—is going to change that.”

Joel opened his eyes, his gaze locking onto yours, a mixture of relief and lingering vulnerability flashing through them. He reached up, his hand gently brushing a strand of hair behind your ear, his touch soft and reverent. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he murmured, his voice low and full of emotion.

“You won’t have to find out,” you replied softly, leaning down to press your lips gently against his. The kiss was tender, full of the love and reassurance that words alone couldn’t convey.

As you pulled back slightly, your fingers traced the side of his face, your voice barely above a whisper. “Joel, he will never have the way you have me.” You said, kissing his mouth, hands hiking up his shirt. His hand moved up your back, pulling you closer as if he needed the reassurance that you were right there with him.

The kiss deepened, slow and deliberate, like he was savoring every moment. You could feel the tension in him slowly dissolving, replaced by something warmer, more certain. His fingers brushed through your hair, his other hand resting gently on your waist, holding you steady as the kiss grew more intense.

“I want you” you whispered against his mouth, then down his jawline, neck collarbone as his hands squeezed your waist as an answer.

“Please, have me” he replied, his voice hoarsed in a whimper.

Tags 💌: @jasminedragoon @orcasoul @missladym1981 @hiroikegawa @eleganthottubfun @lumpypoll @cuteanimalmama @thespookywookies @goodvibesonly421 @karaslqve @greenwitchfromthewoods @somedayheaven @bambisweethearts @joelsteinfeld @guelyury @biapascal @picketniffler @mrsyixingunicorn10 @httpvomitello @kulekehe @callmecath1 @persephone-girl @colmiillo @pedroswife69 @keileighr @capswife @fallout-girl219 @sullyselena @cymbalta-slut @my-tearsricochet

If you want to be removed, feel free to tell me.

Loved it. Needed it. I need a nap now and maybe to call off of work because WOW I'm gonna be thinking about him for the rest of the night

Ripe

Pairing: dbf!werewolf!Joel Miller x fem!afab!reader

wc: 7.5k

Rating: 18+

A/n: It felt fitting now that October has started

Summary: You are a young journalist standing on her last leg, being given an ultimatum to finally cement your career or lose your job entirely. In a desperate attempt to salvage your fraying career, you look into the small town of Jackson and the cryptic folklore orbiting around it. A friend of your fathers is kind enough to provide you shelter for your stay, though you soon discovered the very thing you sought after was right underneath your nose.

Content Warnings: 18+ MDNI werewolf!Joel, dubcon, knotting, breeding kink, age gap relationship, obsessive attachment, pure nasty dom!Joel, unprotected piv, cream pie, squirting, mating press, mentions of the cervix and womb bc we crazy in here

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Thud

Your surroundings jolt, clanking as you hit another pothole, the impact wrenching another weary sigh out of you. A harsh drift grazes your face, like a dead, cruel lovers touch, as the piercing cold air from the outside, whistles through your cracked car window. It’s patched, haphazardly with tape— though your small silvery Prius has certainly seen better days, much like yourself.

It’s still dark outside, the silvery beams of the moon making the polish of your car shine, as well as casting a guiding light on the poorly patched road before you.

Your thoughts are pulled back to your current predicament.

When you started out as a journalist, it felt like the company wanted run a test on you: How fast can we crush a small-town girl's dream?

The results: Way too fast.

Running around serving coffee, when your fingers twitched for a keyboard. Getting copies, providing unpaid eye candy to all the elderly men, who definitely shouldn’t be writing news for the general public, when your ears yearned for the click of a camera. The blinding harsh light of a flash. Anything like what you dreamt of prior. Not this— the leering gazes of men twice your age, the burnt fingers from the sputtering coffee machine.

Soon it came to a head, and you instigated— against your boss’ firm instructions— an investigation of your own. Disguising the article as one written by, some made up guy, and boom. Your article turned out to be the most compelling writing, any of these big city folks have laid their eyes on in a long time, it was a hit.

Of course, it soon came out who the mystery genius had been, as your boss raked in the revenue, wanting to meet this mystery talent to bleed it dry for all it was worth.

Despite the numbers it made you had prepared yourself for the harsh cruel coldness, that would be your reality: getting fired, only to be left severely stunted when your boss almost begged you to write more.

Following that, you’ve had a few smaller, but not less popular, hit headlines. Always the front Page, always earning a good amount of Feedback. Soon though the fact that you were not earning an official journalists wage, on an official journalist work pile, weight on you. Quickly leading you into a burnout, making you halt your continued work.

The stopping cash flow, made your boss present you with an ultimatum, another big hitter to become an official Journalist or be thrown out, completely.

Nights you planned the forsaken man's murder, cursing him for making your dream job into a nightmare.

In your mental and physical distress, you did not know who else to turn to, leaving you pleading and sobbing as you called your father, hoping he’d have an inkling on how you could proceed.

Leading you to right where you are now, the worn cushion of your trusty cars seat beneath you. A steady grip on the wheel, as the farm land scenery drifted by you. On your way to the small village known as Jackson based in Mississippi, with its lengthy history of cryptid sightings, attacks and disappearances galore.

At first you wanted to question your father, taking the suggestion as a cruel joke at your desperations expense.

Though as he told you of his childhood growing up in Jackson, alongside his friend Joel— the sincerity in his voice awoke that glint within you. A burning, itching need to learn more, to find and uncover truths yet to emerge.

The change of scenery was another pro, as it might help you gain a new perspective, as well as grant you a make-shift vacation.

So, you agreed, your father arranging for you to stay with Joel for two weeks, at his small cabin, not too far from the town itself.

You’ve scoured your mind, trying to catch a glimpse of any memory you might have regarding Joel. Only ending up with faded images, and the feeling of a warm, calloused hand clasping on your shoulder. Though you do not remember much of him you’re certain you’ve seen him last when you were in your late teens, with you now going on twenty-two.

Your eyes keep following the steep road, if you can call it that, until a junction appears, one of the paths leading straight forward into the town and the other— right, further into the forest clustered with intimidating pine trees and littered with a badly patched road.

Signaling right, you shot a brief glance behind you, as you turned down the dark, twisted road, taking you deeper into the woods.

Not soon after the sun starts properly rising, just as you pull up into the forefront of the small cabin. It’s rustic, standing on ramshackle wooden columns, raising the structure a bit above the ground with a clambering yet charming exterior.

To the left is a shed, a small threaded path leading up to it, before it a chopping block, axe plunged into its core, making you wonder how the block itself isn’t split like the logs, riddled next to it.

You’re torn from your thoughts when you hear quick heavy steps on the gravel surrounding the right front of the cabin. A gruff tall man, with broad shoulders, a brown mop of hair with greying ends fraying at his nape, donning a white shirt, stretching across his torso with a few spots sticking to his damp skin, comes barreling down the path next to the small shed, a stack of logs underneath his broad, glove clad arms.

“Is that you darlin’?” his voice breaks through the dewy morning air, a puff of white leaving his chapped lips as he, now, stands before you.

“Yeah, Joel it’s me.” is all your able to press out, at a loss for breath, his gruff exterior, and the silver lining both his mane and beard, making your stomach twist in enticing ways.

You don’t remember him being this… attractive.

But then again you don’t remember him much at all, plus you’ve last seen him when you were about sixteen!

“Eh, you’ve arrived in one piece, your pa’ was quite sure you’d stumble into trouble” he sets down the firewood next to the stump, his arms crossing before his broad chest, showing of his tanned dewy forearms.

A frown dawns on your face “What— why’s that?”

Joel raises an eyebrow, his gaze drifting behind you too— your car.

You turn your head, scrunching you nose up.

The boxy vehicle, standing there looked rundown and now that you see it standing on its own surrounded by nature, you’re surprise yourself she’s come this far. The splintering window, the cracked paint job, it was a mess.

“Now now, she’s got me all the way out here didn’t she?” You chuckle back, a teasing grin lifting your lips.

“I didn’t say nothin’ , t’was your daddy that was doubting your car wreck would withstand the road” he raises his arms in mock defense, the fabric shifting over his damp skin.

“What are you doing out here?” You inquire, mirroring his stance, you hip jutting out— his gaze being momentarily drawn to it.

“Wood don’t chop itself doll, the next two weeks you’ll come to realize, just how soft that big city made ya” he teases, his grouchy stoic features shifting into a sly smirk, as his eyes twinkle mischievously

You huff aloud, gazing over his get up, your eyes landing on the hat adorning his head.

“What you gon’ turn me into the hootin’ house wife, I’m meant to be” you mirror his Texan drawl

A rough dry huff, that you suspect is his version of a chuckle, expels from his shapely lips.

“I’m not some hillbilly, you are an independent young woman, making your way into the big leagues. Even a geezer like me can respect that”

A surprised but pleasant smile grazes your face, knowing that you’re not about to spent the weeks with someone you used to perceive as cool who, when you grow up, turns out to be a misogynist asshole.

Raising your hands you motion to his form. “Why don’t we go in! You must be freezing”

“Oh right, got any luggage that need takin care of?” Joel gives you no time to answer, having already taken bold strides towards your car.

“Right in the back”

“Alright sugar, you go on up, your room is up the stairs on the left” he calls back

At his behest you breach the creaky steps up to the cabin, it’s got a nice small veranda, a steaming mug propped atop a small table. Catching a small glimpse of the paper Joel read before you’ve arrived, it’s your first feature.

The one that earned you your place here.

A small warmth creeps into your face, he’s been reading your material.

Shaking your head free of potential embarrassment and something warm in your gut, you continue your journey into the cabin.

Inside it’s strangely spacious, and even stranger: decorated with intent. Though there are a few things like, hunting knives scattered around the dining table, or carved wood and its shavings permeating the carpet clad floor.

A warm flame, crackles within a stone built fireplace near a worn leather couch, clustered with various pillows and furs.

It’s cozy you note, your eyes drifting to the stairs leading up. The wood creaks underneath you as your feet carry you up the creaky steps.

The door on the left, Joel had said. So, as you stand before it you turn the knob.

It’s— cozy, a bit dingy but the bed is freshly made with a variety of blankets and furs at the feet of it. The window is cracked open, the smell of pines and fresh morning dew wafting into the space. A warm salt stone lamp stands on your nightstand with a small wrapped gift.

A gift?

Your feet carry you across the floorboards as you take the item into your palms. The wrapping is warm and soft almost like a fabric, but it’s undoubtedly paper.

“Oh I see you’ve found it” The deep timbre of Joel’s voice comes from the door way

Your gaze meets his own steady eyes

“What is it?” A small smirk carves his features as he makes a hand motion for you to open it

You gently take apart the wrapping finding a small box inside, you shot your host another look, one he respond to with a firm nod.

Your fingers pry open the box, finding a small necklace inside, its strings are made of thin, yet sturdy leather. A charm attached to the string, a wolves head, then it hits you— the necklaces smells of sandalwood.

A soft yet, herby smell drifting up to your nostrils.

“Is that sandalwood?”

“Correct, it’ll keep you save round here. Some of the wildlife despise the smell of it. So make sure to wear it” he says the words carefully, your head nodding along with his explanation as your gaze drifts back and forth from him to the necklace.

“I’m still amazed, by how much you’ve grown” he juts in, his rough gaze taking in your form

A shyness settling into you, as you recall not remembering much of him yourself.

“Yeah, it has been a long while since I’ve been out here too”

“Did you make it?” You mutter, hanging the subject back to the present.

“Yes” Joel confirms, his gaze now on the window

“Thank you, it’s lovely” you immediately swing the jewelry over your head, eyeing it as it falls perfectly into place above your cleavage.

Then Joel shifts, his weight making the floorboards creak.

“Now, here are your things, why don’t you take a bit to settle in. We’ll eat breakfast in a bit and later we’ll go into town so I can do some shopping— it would be a good time for ya to do yer investigatin’”

You can’t hold back the beaming grin lifting the corners of your mouth as you nod with enthusiasm, gaining a small crinkle around his almond colored eyes. Before his form moves out the room, closing the door.

And you’re alone with your thoughts again. A smell sensation of dread builds up within you, the gravity of your stay here, having unchangeable consequences on your future at the Herald, you brain is littered with the thoughts of failing, not making it. All the pressure of making a big hit article for your greedy boss, only to keep him and his sinking boat of sexist losers afloat.

A choked back sob leaves you, the pressure bearing down on you, who only wished for a chance, a little shot at becoming the journalist she’s always wanted to be. Writing compelling stories yet foretold, of and for women, culture and history, not any more of the boring gossip slop that already litters the papers.

Determination burst through you, renewed passion bubbling in your chest as you smile at the memories of the people, you’ve helped with your writing. Grateful to have read a story that made them feel fulfilled.

Idly your fingers drift up to your collarbone, the tips finding the pendant.

You clasp your hand around the warm wood, feeling its ridges and dips, as a gratefulness settles into your, previously ridged bones, grateful to be here now, having still this opportunity to prove yourself.

Grateful that Joel is already such a firm, steady presence, one you hope you’ll be able to lean on.

Joel soon calls you down to eat breakfast, not having had a proper meal yet himself.

"Y'gotta eat more, you're looking awfully pale" he counters, when you try to refuse another helping of scrambled eggs

"Yeah, I guess the burnout really did a number on me.." you reminisce, Joels brown eyes mirroring your own sorrow as his brows nit tight.

"T'was that boss of yours who pushed you huh?" your eyes widen, Joel giving a curt huff, his jaw tightening

"Your.. father told me, ya really need to stand up for yourself" he elaborates, his eyes cautiously shifting over your face

"But I couldn't risk this position.... it was a spot at the paper I've been meaning to be part of since I've been tiny"

"Yeah, runnin' around pretending me and your Pa were evil monsters who wanted to catch you" Joel coos at you, a small smile present on his face, as he nurses his cup of coffee.

You face grows warm and you give a scoff

"Well, you at the very least still pass as a gruff evil monster with that frown carved onto your face" you tease him, the permanent crease on his forehead deepening as he gives you a mocking glare

Letting out an offended huff though, there's a slight quirk to the corners of his mouth, when he sees you laugh at his accepting silence.

Later on, Joel drives the two of you into town with his jeep. There you get to know his brother, Tommy whom you’ve completely forgotten, in your haze to even recall Joel himself.

He runs a shop there, owned by an elderly lady whose given him the workload she’s too frail to bare.

“My my you’ve grown all up into a shining star haven’t ya?” Tommy smiles, playfully pinching your cheek

“Well I suppose so”

“Quite the time Joel has invited you over…” he muses “it’s curious I must admit”

Your eyebrow furrows as you shot the mentioned man a questioning look. Not able to gouge anything from his usually resting bitch face.

“Well it was kind of more of a hurried thing on my part” you offer

A creak from the corner making you look behind you, as Miss Perkins — the owner of the shop— studies you.

“Curious indeed, with the harvest coming on”

She says solemnly, her focus back on her book, nestling herself back into the fur clad rocking chair, she’s perched on.

“You certainly are quite the looker aren’t you dearie?” Miss Perkins adds on, her gaze back on you, her book now upon her thighs.

Your cheeks grow warmth and you give her a smile. “I could say the same for yourself Miss Perkins”

She scoffs in a playful manner, her own cheeks a bit darker now in contrast to the rest of her dark skin.

“You are terrible dearie. Now a lady with a business like myself know that as a strong woman a helping hand can help”

A pit forms in your stomach, as you know what’s to come. It’s granny codex probably to ask younger folk about their love lives.

“Is there someone waiting for you back in the city?”

Joel’s broad presence next to you huffs out a tinge of air as he and Tommy decide to take this as their cue to stock Joel up on supplies.

A bit helpless but not able to really blame them you stand there exposed before the old ladies, droopy but sharp as ever eyes.

“Well, there hasn’t been someone for a while— my career was my main pursuit” you explain

Your eyes drifting over your shoulder to the pair of men, that have abandoned you.

“Well, Miss Perkins I’d rather talk about the occurrences around here” you step forward, pulling your trusty notebook out of your jacket.

She tsks but retaliates, musing at the fringe of her cardigan.

“Well dearie I think there’s much to cover, how about we step into the back for a bit”

You turn to Joel and Tommy, waving your hand at him.

Joel’s head perks up, eyeing you as you motion to the back door of the shop. He gives a solemn nod his eyes lingering a tad longer than necessary on you before turning back to Tommy.

The back room is filled to the ceiling with boxes and crates with cans. Though there is a small corner in the back with two worn arm chairs around a small coffee table. This room no doubt functions as a warehouse as well as break room.

You help Miss Perkins into her own seat, her wild coiling hair bouncing as she lets herself fall into the armchair.

You find your own seat, your pen and notebook ready at hand.

“Now dearie, there is much to discuss. I’ve been trying to get papers to talk about the disappearances and sightings before but ohh—“ she grasps her wrist a distant look on her face, the crinkles she earlier displayed now faded as has her smile.

“Who listens to an old hag boast about moth-men and werewolf’s” your head snaps from your notebook to her face studying her expression

“Werewolves?” You quip

“Oh yes, those are the most present here” she muses

“How so?” You inquire, your eyes drifting to her neck, a necklace adorning her much like your own. Just without the carvings, hers being a simple circle with a seemingly branded on wolf head, on the front.

“The hunting folk often find clumps of unusual fur on their expeditions. Then there are just sightings, on top of the howling— though the area is known to house a good few wolf packs.” Your own scratches across the paper as you take note of the mentioned details, your eyes drifting back to the necklace again and again.

“Sorry to interrupt Miss Perkins but I can’t help but wonder where you got that necklace” You state, an opening smile forming on your face

Her eyes widen a tinge, she looks down taking the pendant in hand, turning it over in her lithe hands.

“Well, dearie it was a considerate gift from my dear Tommy” she replies a smile painting her lips

“That’s lovely, it’s a beautiful piece”

“Yes it quite is. He’s quite the artist that Tommy” she eyes your own neckline

“Not much unlike his brother I suspect” she gives a knowing smile, though Nathan’s more knowing than even you are.

“Yeah it’s quite lovely”

You two continue your banter, you get a few heaps of potentially useful information out of her before you two go back into the store.

“Before you leave” Miss Perkins stands, wobbly a bit with you reaching, though she catches herself and walks over to a cupboard, an array of books inside it.

She lets her forefinger brush over the spine of the books until she falls upon one clad in a dark faded red tone. The book is pushed into your palms by her, the leathery bound book feeling warm and heavy in your hands as you turn in over.

“It’s a bit more about this town, my dear husband was infatuated with the history of our own cryptids. You might find it more useful than I do”

A shocked look paints your face, trying to give the book back to her though she shakes her head.

“I couldn’t possibly—“

“I insist, dearie. Here it’ll just catch dust, I know it back to back by now”

You give a grateful smile, a small gasp leaving you as she pulls you into an unexpected embrace.

“You got what you needed?” Joel’s voice breaks you both out of your thoughts, his head peeking into the back.

You and Miss Perkins pull back making your way to him, back into the rustic shop.

“Quite” you answer, leather-bound book already stowed into your jacket.

He gives a gruff nod and hum of approval, a crate in hand with various food items as well as some rope and what looks to be a lot of herbs.

“Wow you planning to make some soap?” You quip

He raises an eyebrow, his gaze drifting into the crate.

“Something like that” he gives a short reply, his dark gaze meeting your own

Yet you feel weird, a pressure like tingling builds up in your stomach at his look. His own eyebrows furrow a bit as if he could also feel it, something is there, then the smell of the herb's drifts to your nostrils— sandalwood, and the spell between you is promptly broken.

“Well, you two take care out there now. If you need anything the town is only a half hour walk down the road” Tommy perks up, ignoring the weird tension between you and your host.

A sincere look on his face, his eyes not leaving your own until you give a nod.

“Good, watch the road. I stumbled upon a deer family earlier” he clasps his hand on Joel’s back who grunts in disapproval.

You give Miss Perkins one last look, as she’s settled back into her rocking chair, giving you a reassuring smile.

The next few days could only be described as domestic bliss. You and Joel settle into a comfortable rhythm, you help out around his house. Cleaning, cooking and even chopping wood— though after almost flinging the axe at Joel you decided to let him do that part.

Despite it all it’s strangely comforting, the cabin is cozy, the woods make for a perfect spot to take small walks in, though Joel usually accompanies you— because of the wolves he says.

Though you think otherwise, have you perhaps finally chipped a way through his stoic exterior, giving free a glimpse of a more soft and gentle Joel?

Who knows, he certainly wouldn’t agree, though you might be inclined to.

On one of these walks you learn more of his past with your father and the town. Any mention of cryptids are immediately shot down by him, harsh huffs and grumbling comments about the ridiculousness of the notion, and how you are much like your father to insist on the presence of them.

Though, the howling at night, the matted down fur clumps you find near the cabin with no wolf ever showing itself, you start to believe the ramblings of Miss Perkins.

The book she gave you also let you in on theories her husband had gathered on said cryptid, though notably most of those were on potential werewolves.

You set down the plate, the table outside on the veranda decked with a checkered cloth, and the spoils of your Labour in the kitchen.

Giving a smile you look towards the chopping block, as Joel is hard at work, splitting another log in half. Usually when he works all he is clad in are some working pants and a T-shirt, but today the sun has been surprisingly harsh leaving you to only wear a top and shorts yourself. Much like you Joel is donning a tank top though you suspect he might change before dinner, as the fabric is soaked and see through.

The muscles on his back flex as you make your way down to him, eyeing his own spoils of Labour.

“Wow! Who is this pile for?” You ask eyeing the hill of split logs, permeating the ground before you two.

His studying gaze drifts to you, his eye momentarily landing on your neckline.

“The Johnson family— they pay mighty fine” he grunts, his eyes drifting over the rest of your form.

“Where is your necklace?” He asks, a tad cautiously

You give a sheepish look, your fingers drifting over the slight rash on your nape.

“Oh I just put it off for today, don’t worry I still love it very much and didn’t throw it away” you tease back, leaving out the detail that you had a allergic reaction to the leather

He hums in though, his brows knitting together

“You’ll put it back on tonight” he huffs

“Yeah yeah don’t worry. I’ll wear it for our game night, you big old softie” he flushes a pretty crimson at the mention

The two of you started making it a habit to play all the board games Joel still had left from his childhood. A few of them are great and last up to an hour but others are well Uno.

He gives an embarrassed hum, his gaze avoiding your own, he pulls on his tank top.

“Is dinner ready yet?”

“Yeah, I came to fetch you”

You both move together to the veranda with Joel excusing himself momentarily, to change his top.

Your stomach gives a small pang at that, though you cannot or don’t want to place why it would have that reaction.

Soon you two sit at the table, contently eating your dinner. Joel giving hums of approval as he bites into the tender meat of the steak.

“There won’t be a game night tonight—“ he suddenly says

You look up in surprise from your own dish, humming as you chew faster so you can swallow to ask him:

“Why?”

“I’ve got some work to do in the evenin’ won’t be back til late” he says steadily his eyes focused on his food, as yours are focused on him.

“Hmm a shame really….” You pout, his gaze meeting yours over your glass as you take a sip.

Then his eyes fall into your neck again, watching your throat flex to swallow the liquid down. Gods his gaze is so intense you shift on your seat, the motion makes his eyes meet your own before his tongue peaks out to wet his chapped lips.

The steady yet darkening gaze he holds makes you choke on your drink, spraying from your mouth like a geyser onto Joel and his freshly changed shirt.

His eyes are closed, as well as his eyes being furrowed, slowly he opens them to assess the damage. His white shirt thoroughly soaked.

“I am so so—“ but before you can finish he just takes it off.

His hairy pecs now on full display, in front of your salad no less—

You tear your eyes from his sculpted torso ignoring how the slight layer of fat gave him a shapely dad bod.

“I am not changin’ again this one is on you, doll" he teases casually, continuing to eat as if nothing of note had happened

Your cheeks grow warm with embarrassment.

“You’ll still wear the necklace, though right?” He utters suddenly

Snapping you out of your screeching thoughts, what?!

“I— of course it’s the least I could do fo—“

“Making me wet, yeah that much is true”

You huff out an offended puff of air, as heat shots to your ears and cheeks, earning a rare smirk, that dancing on Joel’s lips.

“Where are you later anyways?” You asks poking at your food

“Just doing deliveries” and that’s that.

The two of you don’t talk that much more only little snippets of you asking more questions about his childhood, with your dad and sometimes even about what he remembers from your visits.

Soon you’ve retired to the couch before the fireplace, taking the time to finally sort your notes and as well as your thoughts.

The more time you spent with Joel the more you realize the ever growing attraction within you, a heat building up in your core when he unintentionally flexes his arm while reaching for something behind you, the small growls he makes when you beat him at squabble, or the way his hand settles on your back durning those walks through the woods.

It all builds up to a blinding white heat within you, each time you two seem to grow closer, then there’s a light waft of— something and the tension is gone.

You shake your head, the papers laying before you rippling from the slight breeze created.

Joel has left about two hours ago, after you told him you’d take a small nap, feeling strangely exhausted after dinner and the clean up after it.

Your hand drifts to your neck, the still remaining rash on the back of your neck. Despite your claim you put off on wearing the necklace tonight, though you think Joel would understand were you to tell him about it.

A harsh breeze harshly rattles the window, in contrast to this sunny morning, as you hear the anticipating rumblings of thunder clouds in the distance.

Back to the investigation, over the days you’ve gathered evidence away from Joel criticizing prying eyes.

Photos showing abnormally big wolf paw prints near the entrance of the forest, a ziplock with strangely silvery fur as well as one big claw.

On top of that there are all the customers you’ve questioned while helping Joel do his wood deliveries.

The combination of all of this giving a compelling story, though it feels as though there is one big piece you are missing. Something right beneath your nose….

Thud

It resounds outside, a storm having brewed steadily while you were focused on your evidence. You stand as you creep towards the window towards the front of the house.

The steady increase of rain making it hard to distinguish the outside, as well as the darkness.

Your feet carry you towards the door, your eyes gazing over the exterior. The wind blows harshly through the threes, throwing mean long shadows onto the front of the house only small specs of full-moon light filtering through the stormy mass.

You quickly snap the door back shut as the wind harshly blows rain onto your frame.

“No fucking way” you press out annoyed, looking down on you drenched ‘Pyjama’ which consisted of a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.

Then there’s a rattle at the back door, your head snaps to the direction of the noise, only seeing a brief shadow outside before it’s gone again.

Your heart stop, there’s someone outside, of course on the night where Joel is conveniently gone someone would try to break in.

You quickly run towards the fireplace, arming yourself with the adjacent fire-poker. The tip still glowing with heat, making you hope that if someone truly broke in your have a good go at hurting them.

Thud

This time it’s the front door, your gaze snapping towards it.

Thud

This time you see the mere power the potential intruder possesses, the door creaking in its hinges as it buckles inwards at the mere blow the outsider performs.

Your heart is now going ten miles per hour, beating so harsh you feel it ringing in your ears.

Sneaking past the door you move upstairs, taking the next door available, on the right.

As you settle into the room a distinct scent penetrates your nostrils, you flinch back at the stench. Turning to look at your surroundings to see any indication for the smell— there on the floor it looks like a mix of skin and blood.

Almost looking like the skin of a human cadaver, ripped off and shredded.

You want to cry at the sight, fearing what has potentially happened while you were asleep before.

That’s when you notice, you are in Joel’s room— you’ve not even caught a glimpse of it before now and now everything it screams is danger.

A Crash resound from down stairs, and you slap your unoccupied hand across your mouth, desperate to silence any sounds that could lean whoever was down there to you.

Thud thud thud then there’s a small hiss and a distinct growl

Oh gods, what is that?! You go towards the door, being a sitting duck were you to stay here, and were it to find you.

Slowly you creep out to the floor, careful of every single step you take.

You hear another growl followed by the sound as if someone were sniffing the air, then silence.

Dead silence.

You freeze on the spot not daring to look behind you towards the stairs.

“Soooo sweet” a terrifying timbre of a voice, deep and bone shaking.

Though there is something familiar about it, you gaze over your shoulder behind and there he stands.

Hunched over, hair riddling his entire form, he stands at least 7 feet now making you jaw slacken, aghast at the mere sight of him.

Then a drip, saliva strings slowly dribble from his mou— maw, as he slowly threads closer. You shriek, fire poker extended before you, as you swing it about in hopes of keeping the beast off of you.

Suddenly the poker is slapped out of your grasp falling somewhere behind the beast, your eyes snap open.

Truly taking in the form before you, naked in all his— Unbridledly hairy, glory. The distinct shape, of an unsheathed length, heavy between his thighs, as he draws ever closer.

“I could smell you—“

“From a fucking mile away, didn’t you promise me doll?” The deep rumbles resound

Promise? Oh gods it’s all so clear, the thing— man before you a mix of wolf and man now smelling the air between you, is Joel.

He’s bigger, harrier and most certainly more monstrous but…. It’s Joel.

Right?

“Joel?”

“My sweet babydoll” he steps closer, his face pressing into the juncture between your neck and shoulder.

You gasp at the surprisingly cold touch, he’s awfully chilly, you note, as you clasp your hand on his shoulder to push him off.

“What are you—ahhh” you gasp, as a tingly wet muscle moves in a stripe up your neck.

Did he just lick you?!

What happened to him, what does this have to do with the necklace and what—

“Stop— it’s done and gone now we can finally mate”

What?

“I can smell those thoughts doll… you don’t need them anymore. No more thinkin’ baby” his canines slightly graze the pulse on your neck, resulting in a sharp whine on your part

“What why?”

You press out, another yelp gets torn from your throat as Joel picks you up, as if you weight as much as a couple grapes and moves with you cradled to his chest to his room.

The foul smell that earlier perforated the air now gone as well as the mess on the floor, replaced by a huge nest like mess of furs, blankets and pillows.

“How did you—“ Joel gently but firmly presses you face first into the nest below.

“Hmpf” you try gasping against the pillow

“Such a perfect smell…. I’ve yearned for you to be mine doll” a cold nose presses against your naked thigh

“Oh my god Joel” you cry out, tears forming in your eyes as you feel claw like hands roam over your thighs.

Then there’s a careful kiss pressed close to were your naked thigh meets your shorts.

“That necklace was for your own protection” he huffs against your thigh.

“He— wanted you save, wanted you to wear it…”

Is this beast not Joel? — or it’s the beast within Joel out of his own control?

“We can’t smell you through sandalwood…. Especially my mates sweet floral fragrance” his clawed hands grip the seam of your shorts, resulting in your struggling to reach back but he pushes you back, he is much too tall and strong for you to over power him.

“But now” he rips down your shorts in one go, exposing your embarrassingly creamy pussy to the harsh airs

A hum of approval leaves the beast, Joel— as he takes a wiff of your now exposed pussy.

Giving the exposed part an attentive lick, making your head spin. He presses his maw deeper into your juicy pussy lips, trying to drag his tongue over each crevice available.

All you can do is lay there, back arched into a perfect bow like shape, puffy pussy being ravaged by you fathers best friend while he’s in a beastly form.

Gods it’s so intoxicating

“So delicious…so warm— to think he’d deprive ME, deprive you…” he crawls over you until you feel an uncomfortably telling weight of a throbbing, veiny appendage against your drooling labia.

“My sweet girl, she deserves to feel wanted— she deserves to be shown what she’s good at” he huffs out, his face now next to your own as you catch a look at his irises, before a warm welcoming brown you’ve grown to love.

Now tinged with yellow making it a honey, golden brown— one that makes you a pit form in your stomach.

“I’ll make you see what you are, what you can be, what we can make together…” he grits out, as if fighting the words within himself

“Wait I don’t—“ do you not want this?

You ask within yourself, the question ringing trough your body, all the moments you’ve had with him, moment where you were almost certain that there was something there, only for the smell of sandalwood to break it up.

The questions answer is clearer than ever, you want Joel— but… it this— thing truly him. This huffing hulking beast, whose impatiens thick cock rests against your wet pussy lips.

Gods maybe it is, maybe it is him.

“Please just, be careful” you press out your eyes meeting his own, amber like, eyes.

He leans close licking a comforting stripe up your cheek, murmuring against your skin.

“I’ll make sure to give you what you need”

Then he props himself up, shifting atop yourself— his swollen abnormally huge dick slapping ever so often against your thigh and pussy.

When he’s finally settled into a stance, his face right above your neck, he juts his hip forward. His sensitive member rubbing through your own needy pussy lips.

“Juicy pussy….” He grumbles above you

“Ah” you gasp as he continues to jut his hip into yours, confusion making itself present within you

The coated tip brushes past your entrance, almost catching on the sensitive hole but ultimately pushing past it, delivering a hit to your swollen clit.

You choke out a gasp, he a frustrated growl as he pulls back to perform another attempt.

Is he trying to? Shove his dick inside without his.. claws

Realization dawns on you, perhaps it’s not as easy handling a rampant yet sensitive part like his dick with hairy rough paw-like hands.

“Here let me—“ you reach back, getting a grasp on his— eerily slick member, seemingly already coated in a thick layer of his pre.

It throbs hungrily in your grip, almost loosening the firm grasp due to the veins intensive pulsing.

“Oh my…” you whisper out, praying to every god available that your own arousal as well as Joel’s spit suffices as lube.

He jerks forward in your grasp making you tighten your hold on his shaft.

“Please—“ a whine bubbles out of his chest, pressed against your own back.

“Your cunt, let me-“

“Only if you’re good” you bite back, an almost canine like whine leaving him

“Anythin’” another short whine as you press the fat leaky tip against your opening.

“Now you go slow—“ you start, but it’s no use, he juts forward feverishly like as if in heat.

His cock almost halfway inside of your tight gummy walls, making you almost scream in pleasure as your pussy spasms and convulses around the creamy shaft— spurts of your arousal coating the fur beneath.

“Oh my god fuck”

You press your face into the blankets bellow, embarrassed by how his mere length inserted within you made you squirt.

“S’tight” Joel drawl appear to even with the more rough sound of a werewolf

“Please, darlin’ wanna see you” he whines out, nipping at your shoulder.

You prop yourself up, his slitted pupils meeting your blown out ones. The eye contact makes him purr in approval.

Then he starts moving, more gently, as if coming back to his senses in a way.

Each thrust, plunges a bit deeper than the last resulting in a symphony of moans and pleading from you. For more, for him to go faster and slower.

All of it, you need it all.

“Whenever you wore these slutty shorts, he wished to bend you over the choppin’ block— pullin them aside to show you what a true man does to his mate..”

“Oh gods yes”

He speeds up, becomes more feverish with his thrusts noticing your pussy become softer, wetter, gripping his cock with each plunge. 

“He wished to defile you, ruin you— just as you’ve ruined him”

All you can do is flop around underneath him trying to get him in deeper, as you plunge back and he forward.

“This won’t do—“ he rasps out primaly, picking you up, his stiff creamy cock slipping out of your sloppy, gaping cunt.

You let out a whiney, No please, but the distress is momentarily as you’re laid back on your back.

His maw drips, strings of saliva, collecting in a pool on your T-shirt. Then he grasps each of your legs in his rough claws, folding you in half like it’s nothing underneath his towering form.

“We gon’ give you what you need” he purrs out as a last warning before plunging back into your pussy— a creamy mix of your and his combined, juices squelching out around his cock.

You call out for him, but he silences you as he molds his lips to your neck and bites down, moving in and out of you, like you are his personal fleshlight.

Soon an intense pressure builds up at the base of his cock, making your eyes drift down to the member, seeing the clear outline of a knot?!?

“Oh gods Joel wa-“

He cuts you off by crushing his lips against your own, leaving your neck a hickey riddled mess.

A white ring of your creamy, combined arousal forms at the base of his cock. The base which is steadily growing thicker.

Soon Joel starts purring something a silent prayer growing louder and louder with each blow he delivers with his hips to your own.

“I love you—“ plap “I love you” plap “I love you” plap-

His messy knot smears on your puffy pussy lips, as Joel punctuates his mantra with each thrust.

Until a squelching resounds through out the room, you pussy stretching impossibly wide to accommodate the new girth.

A shocked gasp leaves, your head swimming with pleasure, as you feel a deep tightness building up in your stomach, glancing down the revelation dawns on you, that Joel’s messy tip is pressed right against the opening of your womb, like a battering ram preparing to strike.

His big, calloused touch drifts to the part of your stomach that’s slightly bulging due to his girth. Gently he pressed down, an explosion of pleasure spreads through your core, leading to your pussy lips spasming around his knot.

You gasp, Joel grits his teeth his head swimming with need. He noses at your throat a whine rumbling through him, sending a shiver down your arched spine.

“Inside— need to cum inside” It’s like he’s drunk on his desire, on your pussy, the tightness, your sounds, you.

“Gonna come inside this pussy, make you carry my child”

Another gasps rips out of you as he moves again, his throbbing length impatiently prodding through your cervix, into your unprotected womb.

Gods, the display is one of pure primal perversion, but what really counts as vanilla, when a Werewolf version of your father’s friends is desperately pleading for entry into your womb, to breed you. To have all of you full of him, to have you carry his children.

A whine bubbles out of your chest, your head lolling to the side exposing more of your neck.

Joel presses in harder, his swole testicles a heavy weight on your pulsing rim. Reminding you of all the cum, all the love he’s willing to give you. He needs to give you.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck” you garble out

Joel’s tongue lapping at your throat, and face before pulling you into a messy, overly consuming kiss.

One of his hands previously folding you in half, starts to tear at your t-shirt, ripping the fabric into bits.

Finally, free from the confines of your shirt, Joel greedily eyes take in the shape of your tits before fondling them. Making a show of weighing your breast in each hand, his thumb ghosting over each nipple, making your mouth fall agape.

He leans towards you, licking a small strip over your still agape mouth before leaning down to engulf your left nipple with his warm wet mouth.

His tongue flicks over the nub, making a show of suctioning your areola before letting his teeth graze over your sensitive nipple.

He pops of your tit with a resounding piping noise, purring in approval. Sending your head spiraling at the obscenity.

“-full of milk for all the pups you’ll carry, darlin’”

You snap out of your cockdrunk daze to catch the ending of his post-impregnation promises. His deep timbre voice, pushing you over the edge for the second time, another spurt of you juices now coating his fur, sprays in small desperate spurts out of your pussy.

His gaze meets yours, intense yellow tinged irises gazing upon your own, glazed over expression.

“You’ll make a perfect brood-mother”

That’s the last warning you get before his hips snaps forward one last time, fully seated within you, Joel growls into your shoulder and then you feel it, hot ropes of sticky cum, filling you up. 

A fuck load of it as well, on top of the bulge of his knot within you, the mere over-excessive amount of cum adds on top of the already existing bulge. Making you look as if you were already knocked up.

Joel's body trembles from the exertion above you and he stumbles atop as he finishes, he slumps into his side, his cock still seated within you as we pulls you with him.

His form slowly turning back into a more human shape, his cock growing limp within you.

"Joel?"

"Yes, Doll?" his familiar drawl returns, making your heart beat out of your chest in pure bliss, a beaming smile settling onto your face.

"I love you..."

"I adore you darlin'" his arms embrace you properly, his lips pressing a multitude of kisses along your nape, the feel of his familiar beard letting you sink back into him

"You deserve everythin' ...M'sorry it came to--"

"It's alright, I just want you." you pull his arms tigher around you, letting him continue to litter you with kisses.

Lying there with his large frame engulfing your own, you let out a content sigh, feeling as though all the frustration, to make the perfect article, that was building up within you from these last few weeks was gone.

Whatever intention Joel had for letting you stay here, does not matter now.

And that’s all you can think of as you lay there, a blissed out smile dawning on your face, knowing that your workplace and shit boss can go fuck itself.

Knowing that with Joel’s help, you will take care of it and more importantly, he will take care of you— his everything.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ──────── · ·

A/n: Why would you wanna be independent if you could let Joel Miller fuck you full of pups?

Cowboy Joel art credit goes to Betty Jiang on Artstation (I merely made changes to the nose and the additional facial hair)

Silly Billy

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