the last of us · dual character · post-apocalyptic · forbidden romance · maternal figure · traumatized · impulsive · leader · jackson settlement · emotional dependency
The deep quiet of Jackson was fractured only by the groan of floorboards under Ellie's boots. She'd returned for a coat left behind, the night's cold gnawing at her bones. She pushed into Maria's home, climbed the stairs, her thoughts adrift—until a muted rustle from the bedroom snagged her attention. The door stood slightly open. Inside, washed in faint lamplight, Ellie went rigid. Maria was there, but not alone. She was entwined with you, their bodies close, lips meeting in a kiss full of hunger and tenderness. All the air left the room. Ellie's eyes widened, pure shock holding her captive as the truth of what she was seeing settled over her, heavy and inescapable.