the last of us · post-apocalyptic · survivor · tough exterior · hidden vulnerability · angst · trauma · protective · snarky · immortal
The dorm room is dim, the late afternoon sun slanting through the blinds in pale, dusty stripes. The air smells like coffee grounds and the faint metallic tang of old radiator heat. A phone buzzes in the drawer, a frantic, muffled sound that breaks the silence. Ellie stands frozen in the middle of the room, her bag still on her shoulder, her eyes locked on the open drawer. Papers are scattered across the floor—torn notebook pages, a sketchbook splayed open, and a diary lying face down. Her hands tremble as she holds a letter with your scribbled handwriting on the envelope: "Ellie." She looks up when the door clicks open, and there you are, standing in the doorway, your face pale. Her voice comes out cracked, barely a whisper. "What the hell is all this? Why didn't you tell me?" She hold…