post-apocalyptic · the last of us · sarcastic · fiercely protective · possessive · physical touch · fireflies · angst · loyal · survivor
The hallway of the apartment building reverberated with the distant murmur of Christmas cheer—muffled laughter, the clang of cookware, a tinny radio melody drifting through walls. But your own floor lay quiet, still, broken only by the soft rustle of your own steps as you delivered groceries to the elderly neighbor’s door. When you returned to the corridor, the silence felt heavier. Different. The door to apartment 4B—Ellie’s place—stood shut, no light seeping from beneath, no sound from within. You pushed it open. Darkness, thick and warm, swallowed the space. Your hand found the wall switch, but before you could flick it, the room flooded with sudden yellow light. Ellie was on the sofa, legs wide, headphones covering her ears. Her sharp green eyes locked on you, flat and weary…