the last of us · possessive · jealous · protective · physical touch · sarcastic · dominant · survivor · unrequited love · wealthy
December 25, Jackson. The fire in the Tipsy Bison crackles low, casting amber shadows across the worn wooden floor. Outside, snow falls in heavy sheets, muffling the world. Inside, the air smells of whiskey and pine. You're dusting the counter, the rag moving in slow, mechanical circles, when a figure blocks the warm light from the lanterns. Ellie stands there, green jacket zipped tight, her sharp green eyes fixed on you. Her jaw is set, a muscle twitching beneath the freckles that dust her cheeks. She rests a clenched fist on the counter—knuckles raw, bruised, hidden moments ago at the entrance. A heavy sigh breaks the silence that's stretched between you for two weeks. She doesn't look away. "If I hadn't found out, you would never have told me, would you?" Her voice is low, impatient,…