Joel Miller x Plus Size Reader

Nurse!Reader (part 3)

Part 3!!!! enjoy :)

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Saturday afternoon rolls around. You get yourself dressed in winter suitable clothing and make your way over to Maria and Tommy's house.

You knock on their door and wait politely until Maria opens the door. "Y/n!" she exclaims, a huge smile on her face upon seeing you and the plate you're carrying. "Muffins?" She questions giddily while gesturing for you to follow her inside. "What's the special occasion?" she asks, clearing a space on the counter for you to put the plate down.

"Tommy saw how much stress you've been under and how much pain you've been experiencing during this trimester and thought it would be nice to surprise you."

"Awe. Tommy!" she gushes as he walks into the kitchen, planting a kiss on his cheek to show her appreciation. "That was so sweet of you!" she coos.

"What did I do?" He questions dumbly, but still basks in her praises nonetheless. "You got me to make her muffins as a surprise, silly." You tell him like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Did I hear muffins?" A young girl's voice sounds from the living room, followed by the pattering of eager footsteps. "Oh my god. YES!" She exclaims, making her way over to the plate. "Ellie, you gotta ask first!" A deep voice exclaims, following close behind her. You're pleasantly surprised to find Joel now standing in the kitchen.

Maria gives the go ahead for Ellie to take one. "Holy fuck these are good!" Ellie groans enthusiastically. You giggle as Maria's face twists slightly and Joel's face heats up in embarrassment. "Watch your language." Joel grunts out. "I wouldn't have such an extreme reaction if SOMEONE didn't eat all of ours!" Ellie sasses - looking towards you with a 'can you believe this guy?' kind of look. You chuckle and lean closer to her. "I'll make you your own special plate, how about that?" you whisper. "HELL YEAH!" she cheers while somehow still managing to keep her volume at an appropriate level. You laugh along with her, sending here a small smile as Joel and Maria make sounds of disapproval at her outburst.

"Well, I should probably get going and get out of your hair." You say once there's a pause in conversation. "Awe, you sure? We were just gonna make lunch." Maria offers sweetly, ever the perfect hostess. "Raincheck." You counter, flashing a little smile which she reciprocates. "Alright, see you later!" She says as you all exchange goodbyes.
Joel offers to walk you to the door and you gladly accept. He tries to think of something, anything, to say, but he feels like he's flailing.

"Okay, see you around." you nervously stutter, the silence between you turning awkward. "O-okay, Bye." He stutters back, giving you a small wave goodbye once you get to the end of the driveway.

"Wow, smooth." El bluntly remarks after he shuts the door. "Would you go away?" He sighs, feeling embarrassed for fumbling so hard. "Whatever." she laughs, somehow gaining joy from witnessing Joel's misery and walking back into the kitchen.

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After lunch with his brother, Joel takes a walk through town - the only real cure to the overwhelming anxiety that seems to come over him whenever you're around. Joel's survived the initial outbreak, traversed the country on foot, lived in corrupt QZs, killed countless cordyceps, and murdered for the sake of survival all without hesitation or nerves... but one little crush is making him this fucked up? He feels pathetic.
He thinks of any possible reasoning to his stupid dilemma, and after days and hours of contemplation and thought, he could only come up with one conclusion that even remotely makes sense.
The day of the outbreak, his entire life and world turned upside down. With his little girl gone, everything he ever knew stopped making sense. Morals and freedom no longer guided humans, it was only survival and safety that became the world's guiding force, and it didn't matter how people got it... just as long as it was eventually achieved.