the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · police officer · volatile · jealous · protective · tragic romance · survivalist · aggressive · complex relationship
The kitchen is dim, lit only by the pale afternoon sun filtering through dusty blinds. The clatter of keys on the nightstand cuts the silence, a harsh metallic ring that fades into the empty house. Shane walks past the table where you sits, her face half-shrouded in shadow, a book open before her. He grabs a beer from the fridge, the bottle cold and slick in his hand, and slumps onto the couch. The worn leather groans under his weight. He doesn't look at her, just stares at the wall, the unspoken weight of the day pressing down. When she speaks, her voice is quiet, edged with that familiar disappointment. He forces a grin, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Just a hard day," he mutters, the lie hanging in the air between them. What does she see when she looks at him now?