Don't let go: Joel Miller x OC

Darlin'

Just stirring, Ava reached an arm out beside her only to grab a handful of the soft cotton bedsheets. She snuggled into the duvet more as she forced her eyes to flutter open. He wasn't next to her. Her brows knitted together and then softened once she could hear movement coming from downstairs.

She took another minute to properly come round before sitting up and swinging her legs around to the side of the bed. Her eyes still a little heavy as she remembered that she was still dressed in his shirt. His scent all over her. The thought made her smile a little as she stood up with a stretch to join him downstairs. She liked being his- a sense of belonging.

The floor boards creaked beneath her feet as she stepped down from the bottom step, pulling his attention towards her.

"Mornin'." He spoke as he stirred a mug of hot coffee.

She swanned over to him, placing her hands onto his chest as she brushed her lips against his, so lightly that it barely contributed as a kiss. "Good morning."

He pulled back with a small tug to his lip, looking her up and down. Green plaid drowning her small frame, the hem falling just below the top of her thighs allowing him to admire the shape of her bare legs. His shirt; not that he minded- at all. His woman dressed in his clothes... that warm fuzzy swell reappearing within his chest. "Nice shirt, suits you."

She felt herself blush slightly at his observation, the spread of her cheeks heating up as she stumbled her words. Of course he noticed... how couldn't he? "I- Uh...Sorry, it was the first thing I grabbed from the floor last night..."

She felt the large palm that had a light grip on her waist fall as Joel let out a deep sigh and moved to lean back against the counter, his attention dropping to the tiled floor as his brows furrowed. "I, uhh... I'm sorry 'bout that. You shouldn't have had to..." he trailed off.

Ava shuffled next to him, her words spoken softly as she tilted her head to rest her chin against his shoulder. "It's okay. I managed to speak with her a little bit about...well, Y'know...what you asked me too..."

His focus shifted from the ground as he turned to face her, jaw ticking ever so slightly whilst anxiously anticipating what she was about to tell him.

She took in a sharp breath. It was still a tough topic for her to discuss, even if this one wasn't her own story, "they tried to...she said but they didn't."

Joel nodded and a breath of relief escaped him, his hand coming raising only to drag down his face. It was the one time he couldn't be there for the kid, the guilt of it eating him alive as he had grown to assume the worst case scenario. Whilst he knew the ordeal was still traumatic for the young girl, the fact that those bastards didn't succeed lifted a weight from his shoulders.

His lips pressing a soft kiss against her temple as he breathed his gratitude. An arm snaking around her waist to hold her against him for a moment. "Thank you."

He shifted as his mind drifted back to reason why he got up so early in the first place, a sigh exhaling from his lungs as he pried himself away from her. "I've got to head out on patrol shortly."

Ava reached out, sneaking a slice of toast from the plate set behind him, earning her an arched eyebrow. "It's not your usual day for patrol?"

Joel let out yet another sigh as he pondered over the reason to give her. "Uh...yeah, I just picked up extra this week."

It wasn't a total lie. He did pick up extra... it just wasn't necessarily out of the goodness of his heart. He needed to speak with Tommy without the risk of anyone overhearing and the only way of doing that would be outside of the community.