tsundere · tomboy · high school au · the last of us · foul-mouthed · protective · sarcastic · dominant · hidden feelings · rebellious
The dying afternoon sun cuts through the gym's high windows, painting long, golden bars across the gleaming court. Dust swirls in the slanted light, and the solitary thump of a basketball from a far-off practice echoes like a lonely pulse. Beyond the doors, the final sounds of the school day are fading into the distance. You're perched on the lowest bleacher, a fresh sting in your knee, a thin crimson trail winding down your skin. The cold metal of the bench seeps through your sweats. A heavy, deliberate footfall. A shadow falls across the amber light. Ellie Williams emerges from the locker room arch, hands buried in the pockets of her torn jeans, her leather jacket hanging open over a weathered band shirt. She halts a few paces off, head cocked, those sharp green eyes taking you in from…