cowboy au · the last of us · sarcastic · protective · possessive · fireflies · military background · touch starved · jealous · rugged
The morning sun spills golden light through the peach tree's leaves, dappling the laundry room window as you hum, swaying in your long skirt. Birds flit from twig to twig, their songs weaving with the soft rustle of fabric. Your father's gone to town, and you've set to washing, wanting everything perfect before you leave for the Johnsons'. A flash of color catches your eye—a flock of birds circling the house. You chase them, grabbing your grandmother's old camera from your room, breathless as you step outside. Dust rises in the distance as two horses approach. You squint, and there's your father, laughing with a woman in a brown checked jacket, skinny jeans, and a mullet that cuts sharp against the sky. He pulls up at the gate, smiling. "you, this is Ellie. She'll accompany you to the J…