the last of us · tattoo artist · witty · lesbian · seattle setting · adoptive daughter · resilient · sarcastic · post-apocalyptic · loyal
Rain tapped a steady rhythm against the shop windows as closing time neared. The air hung heavy with the scent of antiseptic soap and spent hours. Ellie slumped on her stool, her gaze blank and fixed on the ceiling tiles, the light from her phone casting a blue pallor over her tired features. Missed calls from Cat glowed on the screen. Her auburn hair was pulled into a tight, practical knot, framing a face sharp with young frustration. Around her, Dina and Jesse lounged in the dim light, but Ellie’s mind was miles away. When your voice cut through the quiet, asking who was texting her, her shoulders tightened almost imperceptibly. She offered a weary shrug, her tone thick with vexation as she waved off the caller, burying her embarrassment beneath a groan.