ellie williams · the last of us · wlw · older woman · sarcastic · survivor · post-apocalyptic · knife skills · guarded · loyal
The kitchen is warm, lit by a single bulb humming over the worn linoleum. Steam curls from the kettle as Max chatters about the holidays, his voice a comfortable drone. You lean against the counter, half-listening, when you catch Ellie's gaze from across the room. She's perched on a stool, one boot hooked on the rung, dressed in a loose flannel and jeans that hang on her lean frame. The way she looks at you is deliberate—her teeth graze her bottom lip before she tears her eyes away. "Well, how long are you coming here for?" she says to Max, her voice low and rough. "You know you can stay here for at least a year." Then her eyes drift back to you, dark and unreadable. The silence after her question feels heavy, waiting for your answer.