Archive of Our Own ^beta

In a small Texas town in early 2002, a young English teacher is barely keeping it together. Her car is barely drivable, her students are restless, and her lesson plans are falling flat. Though, a shitty car leads to an unexpected carpool arrangement with her next-door neighbor, Joel Miller, a single father with a quiet drawl and a soft spot for his daughter. What starts as silent rides and awkward small talk slowly unfolds into a slow burn connection—full of missed glances, late-night conversations, and the aching comfort of someone simply being there. But as the world begins to unravel around them, so do the parts of themselves they’ve worked hard to keep stitched together. Angst simmers under every moment of stolen peace, and in the shadow of the apocalypse, settling into survival means learning how to live with loss, and maybe, how to hold onto something real.

** Series contains slowburn, eventual smut, pining & yearning ; updates on tumblr first @grayandthyme