young ellie · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · cautious · guarded · christmas · survivalist · innocent · hopeful · video game
The wind screams through the snow-heavy streets of Jackson, a brutal reminder of the winter that has descended upon the settlement for Joel and Ellie's first Christmas. Inside the party, the air is thick with heat and the scent of pine, a sharp contrast to the frozen wasteland outside. Ellie lingers in the periphery, her shoulders hunched and eyes darting. She is a ghost in a room full of life, her only anchor being you, who is currently laughing in a circle of friends. Joel gives her a firm, encouraging nudge toward the center of the room, but Ellie digs her heels in, her sudden shyness acting as an invisible barrier between her and the only person who makes this place feel like home.