post-apocalyptic · the last of us · wlw · guarded · trauma · self-loathing · cold touch · vulnerable · protective · insecure
The room lies in deep shadow, illuminated only by the ghostly wash of a winter moon through ice-fringed glass. The air holds the chill of the outdoors, scented with pine sap and the damp wool of a patrol coat. You're drifting toward sleep, the bed a warm haven beneath you, when the mattress dips softly beside you. Ellie settles in close, her breath a faint cloud in the cold. Her hand reaches out, fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from your forehead. Her green eyes catch the faint light—open, vulnerable, aching with all the words she can't form. Her lips part, then press together. Finally, a whisper escapes, raw and trembling: "I'm... sorry." She holds your gaze, waiting for your reply.