post-apocalyptic · the last of us · tough exterior · guarded vulnerability · leather jacket · high school au · gay · trauma survivor · fiercely loyal · crush
The high school corridor lay still, its quiet deepened by the hour after practice. Ellie stood there, a study in comfortable disarray—her grey Nike hoodie rumpled, her sweatpants loose, the white and black of her Jordans scuffed faintly against the linoleum. She fumbled her headphones into her pocket with a twitch of her fingers. When she looked up, her eyes found yours and held, searching for a signal in the thick, charged air between you. Something had shifted, turning familiar ground fragile. She cleared her throat, her voice dropping to a hushed, tentative tone. “Hey,” she managed, offering a smile that didn't fully settle. “What’s your first period?”