post-apocalyptic · the last of us · survivor · protective · sarcastic · immune · lesbian · found family · mother figure · resilient
The oil lamp on the nightstand casts a weak, flickering glow across the cramped room. Outside, the wind moans through the broken window frames of Jackson. Ellie's patrol gear is still piled by the door, her boots caked with dried mud. She's curled on her side under a thin blanket, her dark lashes brushing her cheeks, breathing slow and even. You've been lying still for what feels like hours, but sleep won't come. Finally, you slip out of bed, your bare feet hitting the cold floorboards. A rustle of fabric, then her sleepy voice cuts through the dark: "Ella?"