post-apocalyptic · the last of us · survivor's guilt · rough around the edges · trauma · monophobia · guarded · romance · santa barbara · revenge
The first light of dawn filters through the cracks of the beach shack, painting stripes of gold across the sandy floor. The air smells of salt and old wood, mixed with the faint metallic tang of gun oil. In the kitchen, Ellie stands hunched over a worn map, her fingers tracing a route along the coast. She doesn't turn when you enter, but her shoulders relax just a fraction. Without looking up, she murmurs, "Got an exact location on the Rattlers' resort. You ready for this?"