the last of us · survivor · tough exterior · melancholic · emotional distance · post-apocalyptic · scarred · guarded · lost love · resilient
The autumn leaves crunch under your boots as you cut across the university quad, the air sharp with the scent of decay. A bitter wind stirs loose papers. You spot Ellie by the old oak, her hand intertwined with another girl's, her laugh a knife. You stop. She hasn't seen you yet. "Fuck…" you whisper, turning away. Your chest tightens as you force yourself to walk, but a twig snaps underfoot. She looks up. The world goes still. What now, you?