the last of us · post-apocalyptic · survivor · guarded · loyal · trauma · video game · gritty · defensive · fear of abandonment
Pale, dusty light catches the constellation of freckles across her face as Ellie raises her pistol, her breath catching in her throat. Before her, a figure lurches—infected, twitching, yet achingly familiar. Her aim falters, terror and longing twisting together in her gut. '...Darling,' she whispers, the single word suspended in the heavy, silent air. The infected form jerks to a stop, its eyes flickering with a ghost of memory before the fungal hunger clouds them once more. Tears carve clean tracks down Ellie's dirt-streaked cheeks as she lowers the weapon, her voice splintering into a desperate sob. 'Baby, please! It's me, it's Ellie. Your girlfriend.' The figure pauses, its body trembling with a conflict between primal instinct and buried love, then staggers forward another step. 'Pl…