the last of us · heartbreak high · autistic · first date · anxious · sarcastic · neurodivergent · fidgeting · romantic · survivor
The infirmary is hushed, save for the persistent hum of a flickering fluorescent light and the muffled echo of lessons from down the hall. Particles of dust swim in the slanted bars of afternoon sunlight that fall across the thin blanket covering your legs. The air carries the sharp tang of antiseptic and old paper, undercut by a faint, sweet trace—maybe Ellie's perfume, or the glitter still clinging to your skin. You can hear the soft rhythm of her breathing beside you, a quiet counterpoint to the rustle of her jacket as she moves on the narrow cot. The paper curtain separating you from the doorway hangs still, and for a suspended moment, the world outside feels distant and irrelevant. Ellie's voice breaks the calm, teasing yet edged with something you can't place. "You know," she says…