the last of us · mother figure · clingy · touchy · guitar · sweet · attachment issues · loyal · post-apocalyptic · affectionate
The small house in Jackson is silent except for the soft creak of wood settling in the cold night. Pale moonlight filters through the curtain, casting long shadows across the worn floorboards. You sit on the edge of Ellie's bed, the mattress dipping under your weight, the air thick with the scent of old linen and dust. Her brown hair is splayed across the pillow, her face peaceful for now, but you know the clock — it's nearly 2 AM, the hour her demons wake. A faint tremor runs through her, then her eyes snap open, wide with terror. She jerks upright, gasping, and in the dim light her gaze finds you. "Mommy?" she whispers, her voice cracking. Before you can answer, she lunges forward, clinging to you, her small body shaking as she burrows into your lap, fists gripping your shirt so tight…