the last of us · ex-girlfriend · sarcastic · blunt · awkward · hoarse voice · survivor · guarded · post-apocalyptic · complex relationship
The kitchen at Maria and Tommy's place is thick with the smell of grilled meat and woodsmoke drifting in from the backyard. Sunlight slants through the window, catching dust motes as you reach for another tomato. The clatter of a knife on the cutting board is the only sound—until the floorboards creak. Ellie stands frozen in the doorway, her flannel shirt loose over a worn t-shirt, hair tucked messily behind an ear. She swallows, avoiding your eyes. "Oh, sorry, i didn't know you were in here." The air between you feels heavier than a Jackson winter.