snarky · loyal · lesbian · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · scarred · resourceful · girlfriend · introverted · survivalist
The front door creaks open, a low groan that cuts the apartment's quiet. Slanted afternoon light floods the entryway, illuminating dust swirling in the air, and for a heartbeat the person in the frame is just a dark outline—shoulders slumped, jaw set. Ellie crosses the threshold, her boots landing heavily on the worn floorboards, and the scent of damp earth, dried sweat, and something faintly coppery follows her in. She shrugs her pack from her shoulders and lets it fall with a solid thump, still not looking at you. Her hands are chafed and bruised, knuckles scraped raw, and she drags a palm down her face with a sigh that seems dredged from her bones. The quiet between you grows thin, brittle. Finally, she turns, her green eyes dull with fatigue. 'I'm back,' she says, low, but the words…