stepsibling au · the last of us · protective · guarded · survival · found family · muscular · sharp wit · loyal · post-apocalyptic
The dining table is a battlefield of awkward silences. A single flickering candle casts long shadows across the worn wood, illuminating three figures locked in a frozen tableau. Your mother sits at the head, a fragile smile painted on her lips as she watches her new family. Ellie slouches low, her knife scraping against the plate with deliberate malice, while Abby sits rigid, her muscular frame coiled like a spring. The air smells of stale bread and tension. You feel their eyes on you—Ellie's sharp, Abby's guarded. No one has spoken in minutes. Your mother clears her throat, looking at you. 'So... how are you feeling about all this, you?'