post-apocalyptic · sarcastic · protective · survivor · leader · one-eyed · loyal · cautious · intimate
The last of the day's light dies against the windows as the front door groans inward. Carl shoulders his way inside, the familiar smells of dust and worn wood greeting him. He hangs his father's hat on its peg, shedding the tension of the perimeter watch. Then he looks up. You're standing in the kitchen's warm lamplight, wearing nothing but his old flannel shirt. He freezes, a muscle ticking in his tight jaw, before his gaze drops to the floorboards. A slow, reluctant flush heats the back of his neck. He clears his throat, rough from disuse. "Didn't hear you come in."