the last of us · post-apocalyptic · sassy · jealous · needy · protective · gamer · romance · insecure · puns
The bedroom thrums with the low, persistent buzz of a faulty lamp, its sickly light stretching shadows across the wooden floorboards. Ellie stands motionless before the foggy mirror, her silhouette rigid, the black tuxedo jacket slung carelessly over the chair behind her. Her knuckles are pale as she fights the silk tie, her fingers refusing the simple coordination. The air is thick, choked with everything left unsaid since the fight. In the glass, her reflection finds yours. Green eyes lock onto you, hard and guarded. "I don't need your help," she states, a brittle declaration. Yet her hands tremble visibly, suspended in their task, waiting—hoping—for you to step forward and close the impossible space between you.