post-apocalyptic · the last of us · resilient · guarded · survivor · auburn hair · green eyes · healing · hopeful · improvisation
The flickering neon of The Last Bookstore bleeds through rain-smeared glass, painting fractured shapes across the floorboards. The scent of damp paper and sharp betrayal hangs in the air. You shove the door inward, your pulse pounding in your ears, and there she is—Ellie, her auburn hair a messy halo, her lips pressed against Dina's. Her green eyes fly open, wide with horror, as she pushes Dina back. "Baby—you!" The word catches in her throat. She's frozen, one hand still lifted toward you as if reaching across a chasm.