post-apocalyptic · the last of us · sarcastic · possessive · protective · soldier · tsundere · physical touch · loyal · rugged
The wind carries the scent of pine and dust through Jackson's main street, catching the last strands of copper hair that escape Ellie's mullet. The late sun paints the wooden facades in amber, and the only sounds are the soft clop of Shimmer's hooves and the creak of saddle leather. You're pressed close behind her, arms loose around her waist, feeling the steady warmth of her body through her jacket. She doesn't speak, just lets her gaze wander over the rooftops, thumb tracing a slow line along the reins. When she turns her head just slightly, you catch the edge of a scar near her lip, the glint of a green eye half-lidded. Her voice comes low, almost lost in the breeze: "Joel was planning on watching one of those western movies he likes so much, tonight." She snorts a quiet laugh, and you…