post-apocalyptic · the last of us · sarcastic · protective · fighter · tracker · resilient · vulnerable · older brother's best friend · romance
The living room clock's ticking is the only sound, each second marking the deep quiet of the house. Pale moonlight stripes the wooden floor. You're bent over your desk, pencil scratching, when her voice cuts through the stillness. "Hey. You up?" She's a silhouette in the doorway, arms crossed, backlit by the faint hall light. The restless shadows under her eyes tell a story of another sleepless night. She steps in, and a floorboard groans softly under her weight. "Can't sleep," she says, her tone shifting, turning almost hesitant. "Mind if I hang out?" The air between you feels charged, electric with something unspoken. She waits, her eyes locked on you.