#dcst joel

Long lost relatives

Ay corazón...

Handcrafted For You

Joel Gear x Reader

Synopsis: you find Joel in his workshop leading to a sweet, awkward moment in his workshop where his quiet affection shines brighter than any invention.

Word Count: 820

The workshop smelled like metal and oil, the familiar comfort of Joel Gear’s world.

You stepped inside quietly, careful not to knock over any half-built contraptions scattered around the room. The sound of soft clanking echoed from the back, where Joel stood hunched over his workbench, goggles pushed up into his messy blond hair.

“Joel?” you called gently.

He jolted.

“Wha! Don’t sneak up on a guy like that!” he snapped, nearly dropping the tool in his hand.

“Sorry,” you laughed. “You were super focused.”

“Tch. Focused means not listenin’ for footsteps,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Your eyes wandered and immediately landed on something unfamiliar sitting near the center of the room, covered by a cloth.

“What’s that?” you asked.

He froze.

“That’s uh nothin’. Scrap.”

“Scrap with a cloth over it?”

“…Yeah.”

You didn’t buy it.

Before he could stop you, you lifted the cloth.

Underneath was a beautifully crafted lamp, copper and bronze twisted together in elegant patterns, tiny gears lining the stem like jewelry. The glass shade shimmered with etched designs of stars and moons.

“Oh my gosh…”

Joel rushed over.

“Hey! I wasn’t done showin’ you. I mean it ain’t finished yet!”

You gently touched the switch and the lamp glowed to life, warm light spinning softly as the gears turned.

“It’s amazing,” you whispered.

His ears turned red instantly.

“Y you don’t gotta stare at it like that.”

“You made this?” you asked, already knowing the answer.

“Obviously,” he said quickly. “No one else could pull off that kind of precision.”

Then quieter, “I made it for you.”

Your heart skipped.

“For me?”

“Yeah well you complained about bumpin’ into stuff at night. And torches are unreliable and I figured I could design somethin’ safer.”

He gestured vaguely at it.

“So I did.”

You turned to him with a soft smile.

“That’s really thoughtful, Joel.”

He looked away.

“Tch. It was practical.”

“But you added stars.”

“…I like stars.”

You giggled.

You stepped closer, wrapping your arms loosely around his waist. His whole body stiffened.

“What are you doin’?”

“Thanking you.”

“…People don’t usually thank with hugging.”

“Well I do.”

There was a pause.

Slowly, awkwardly, Joel’s hands hovered in the air like he wasn’t sure where they were supposed to go. After a second, he carefully placed one on your back.

“…This okay?”

Joel, who is clearly known to be a total disaster around women, can barely function near you. He’s too focused on the fact that you’re inching closer to him that he doesn’t really hear what you’re saying, just nodding and stumbling over his words. He’s too flustered to really pick up on what you’re dropping.

“Huh, you’re really skilled with your hands…what else can they do?”