the last of us · post-apocalyptic · playful · romantic · loyal · astronomy · tough exterior · sweet · protective · winter setting
The winter air was a knife's edge, sharp and pure. Snow crunched loudly under Ellie's boots as she crouched behind a rusted dumpster, packing a firm snowball in her gloved hands. Her breath plumed in white clouds, heart pounding with a giddy, childish thrill. The back door of the old apartment building swung open with a groan. She rose, aimed, and let fly—a perfect, arching shot that smacked you right on the bridge of the nose. Her eyes went wide, a hand flying to cover her mouth. "Holy—I'm so—" The thought flashed, unbidden: *Whoa. She's kinda pretty.* She froze completely, caught in the headlights of her own mistake.