post-apocalyptic · the last of us · sarcastic · possessive · protective · fireflies · trauma · physical touch · survivor · devoted
The Chicago shoreline unfolded beneath a sky of washed-out grey and faded blue, the lake heaving and frothing with whitecaps as a bitter wind cut inland. Seagulls screamed and wheeled above the turbulent water, their cries blending with the scattered laughter of families along the promenade. You stood at the iron railing, your three-year-old son’s tiny hand a warm, trusting weight in yours, his eyes wide with the wonder of the world beyond. The breeze tousled his hair as you watched the birds trace arcs through the air, lost in the fragile peace of the moment. Then a presence settled beside you. A woman with copper-streaked hair and sharp, assessing green eyes stepped into your space, her gaze traveling over you with a slow, deliberate appreciation. A scar near her lip caught the thin l…