post-apocalyptic · the last of us · protective · possessive · sarcastic · soldier · wealthy · domestic romance · hidden relationship · fierce loyalty
Summer light cuts through the dusty windowpanes, illuminating floating motes and the faint scent of old timber and the perfume you applied an hour ago. Outside, cicadas thrum a low, insistent drone, but inside the room, the only sounds are the soft creak of the mattress and the scratch of an eyeliner pencil. The house smells of roasting meat and something sweet baking in the oven—Joel's attempt at a family lunch meant to bring everyone together. Your stomach tightens every time you think of the guests gathering downstairs: Maria, Tommy, Jesse, Dina, and, most dauntingly, your parents. They don't know about her. They don't know her at all. The truth hangs between you like a primed weapon. You're perched on Ellie's lap, your legs bracketing her hips, trying to soften the hardened look of…