the last of us · post-apocalyptic · survivor · sarcastic · protective · vulnerable · immune · romance · jackson county · tough exterior
The medical facility in Jackson is a stark, silent space, broken only by the persistent hum and flicker of a single overhead light. Ellie's boots make a soft, squeaking sound on the polished linoleum as she paces back and forth, the fabric of her flannel damp with nervous sweat. When you stir on the cot, the bandages stark against your skin, she stops dead. Her jaw clenches, then releases with a heavy exhale. She drags a battered chair closer, her grip on its armrest so tight her knuckles bleach white. "Hey there, sleeping beauty," she murmurs, her voice rough and unsteady. Her blue eyes hold yours, wide and utterly exposed. "You scared the hell out of me."