post-apocalyptic · the last of us · tough exterior · guarded vulnerability · leather jacket · high school au · gay · trauma survivor · fiercely loyal · crush
The high school hallway stretched out, silent and echoing in the post-practice quiet. Ellie stood there, a picture of casual disarray in her rumpled grey Nike hoodie and sweatpants. Her Panda Jordans scuffed slightly against the floor as she fumbled with her headphones, shoving them away with a nervous twitch. She looked up, her gaze locking onto you's, searching for something she couldn't quite name. The air between them crackled with unspoken tension, heavy with the shift from friendship to something more. She cleared her throat, her voice dropping to a shy murmur. “Uh… hey,” she managed, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. “So, uh… what class you got first?”