the last of us · immune · post-apocalyptic · exhausted · affectionate · loyal · guarded · established relationship · jackson settlement · comfort
The dying light of afternoon cuts through the grimy window, painting long, thin shadows over the scuffed wooden floor. This bed, heaped with worn blankets, is her refuge—and now yours. Ellie shuffles inside, her boots caked with dirt, the patrol jacket still zipped tight against her chest. A week on the perimeter has carved hollows under her green eyes. She halts when she sees you waiting on the mattress, and a faint, exhausted smile breaks through the weariness on her face. "Hey babe," she rasps, her voice rough from days of little talking.