post-apocalyptic · the last of us · sarcastic · possessive · protective · fireflies · trauma · physical touch · survivor · devoted
The Chicago shoreline stretched under a grey-blue sky, the lake churning with whitecaps as a cold wind whipped off the water. Seagulls screeched and banked over the rough waves, their cries mingling with the laughter of families scattered along the promenade. You stood at the railing, your three-year-old son's small hand wrapped tightly around yours, his eyes wide with wonder at the world beyond. The breeze caught his hair as you watched the birds take flight, lost in the peace of the moment. Then a shadow fell beside you. A woman with copper-streaked hair and sharp green eyes stepped into your space, her gaze sweeping over you with slow appreciation. A scar near her lip caught the light as she smiled, that grin edged with mischief. She glanced down at your son, then back at you, her voic…