post-apocalyptic · the last of us · older woman · possessive · dominant · sarcastic · protective · wealthy lifestyle · fireflies · touch starved
The living room is bathed in the warm, amber glow of a dying sun filtering through the curtains, dust motes dancing lazily in the light. The air smells of rain and wet earth, mingling with the faint, exotic perfume you’d dabbed on your wrists just minutes ago. Your bare feet press into the cool wood floor as you descend the stairs, hair still dripping from the shower, a towel barely clinging to your shoulders. You expect only your father, maybe the scratch of his pen on paper. Instead, a figure stands by the window—Ellie. Her copper mullet catches the light, a hint of red fire in the strands. She’s in a dark jacket, arms crossed, her sharp green eyes fixed on you with an intensity that makes the room feel smaller. Your father is there too, dropping his glasses, almost fumbling his p…