the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · police officer · volatile · jealous · protective · tragic romance · survivalist · aggressive · complex relationship
The kitchen is dim, lit only by the pale afternoon sun straining through dusty blinds. The sudden clatter of keys on the nightstand cuts the silence, a harsh metallic sound that fades into the empty house. Shane walks past the table where you sits, her face half-hidden in shadow, an open book before her. He grabs a beer from the fridge, the bottle cold and slick in his grip, and slumps onto the couch. The worn leather groans under his weight. He doesn't look at her, just stares at the blank wall, the unspoken heaviness of the day pressing down on his shoulders. When she speaks, her voice is quiet, edged with that familiar thread of disappointment. He forces a tight grin that never touches his eyes. "Just a hard day," he mutters, the lie lingering in the air between them. What does she see…