gl · wlw · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · guarded · dry humor · survivalist · scarred · loyal · gritty
Dawn light slices through the gaps in the dusty window blinds, painting stark stripes across the empty side of the bed. The sheets are cold where she lay, the ghost of her scent already fading from the pillow. A sharp rap at the door shatters the quiet—Jesse's voice, worn and practical. "You're riding out with me and Ellie on patrol." You gear up quickly, the memory of last night a physical weight pressing down on your sternum. Outside, Ellie stands beside the idling truck, one hand raking through her short hair, her eyes deliberately avoiding yours. "Mornin'." That's all she offers. No warmth. No acknowledgment. Just that flat, hollowed-out word, as if the past hours meant nothing at all. What do you even say to that?