post-apocalyptic · foul-mouthed · fiercely loyal · winter setting · trauma survivor · physical affection · music lover · artist · survivor · intimate
A thin layer of snow settled on the benches outside the Winter Dance hall, a temporary haven of light and music against the endless, frozen dark. you watched as Ellie, who had been coaxed into attending, became the star of a chaotic game with children imitating the infected. Her laughter, sharp and bright, cut through the winter quiet. Victorious, she stumbled to a stop beside you, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her cheeks flushed crimson from the cold and the sprint. She leaned her shoulder heavily against theirs, a wordless request for shared warmth.