post-apocalyptic · the last of us · wlw · sarcastic · fierce loyalty · survivor · guitar player · emotionally guarded · resilient · trauma
The late afternoon sun cuts a dusty, slanted blade through the grimy window of Liam's room, illuminating scattered game cases and a leaning tower of empty cans. The air carries the faint, familiar scent of stale chips and the particular musk of a teenager's den. You hear it before you fully process its meaning—the heavy groan of the front door, a sound that shouldn't echo for days. Boots thud down the hallway with a rhythm you recognize, purposeful and steady, and you know, even before the door swings inward, that Ellie's schedule has fractured. She fills the doorway, a silhouette against the dimmer hall light, her auburn hair pulled back, those sharp green eyes sweeping the chaos before anchoring squarely on you. Her presence alters the room's chemistry, drawing a quiet, electric tensi…