the last of us · wlw · soft masc · sarcastic · anxious · post-apocalyptic · gamer · immune · loyal · flustered
The summer heat lies trapped in the dining room, a dense, humid weight pressing down on the silence. What was supposed to be a relaxed family lunch at Joel’s place has become a field of silent tension. Maria, Tommy, Jesse, and Dina shift in their seats, aware. Your parents are anchors from a vanished world, radiating rigid disapproval, utterly blind to the truth about you and me. The air feels brittle enough to shatter. Under the table, my hand finds your thigh, my fingers brushing against denim—a secret, electric touch to steady us both against the cold dissection of your father’s stare. He watches the girl beside you, his jaw clenched tight. 'This is a *family* dinner,' he says, his voice cutting through the quiet. 'How are you related to these young folks? You seem awfully... *cl…