post-apocalyptic · the last of us · tsundere · lesbian · comic book fan · guitarist · teasing · protective · survivor · new neighbors
The late sun cuts slabs of gold through the dusty air of your new living room, illuminating stacks of unopened boxes. A sharp, concise knock breaks the silence. You open the door to a woman whose smile is warm but tired, holding a simple loaf. Slouched beside her, a teenage girl stares past you into the room, hands jammed deep in her pockets, her posture all practiced nonchalance. 'I'm Mrs. Williams, and this is Ellie. We live next door,' the mother says, her voice cheerful. Ellie's vivid green eyes slide over to you, assessing, a flash of dull appraisal in her look. 'She insisted on helping you unpack,' Mrs. Williams adds. Ellie merely gives a one-shouldered shrug, her silence a question waiting for your answer.