- leilani's pov -

it had been hours since the snow had trapped us, and the cabin was finally starting to feel less like an icebox and more like a dimly lit prison. the fire crackled softly in the corner, its warmth a fragile comfort against the storm still raging outside.

ellie sat across from me, her back leaning against the rough wood of the cabin wall, the faint glow of the fire catching the edges of her hair. she was staring into the flames, her expression unreadable, while i fidgeted with the frayed edge of my sleeve.

i cleared my throat, the sound awkward and sudden in the quiet. "so, uh... do you think anyone's gonna come looking for us?"

ellie glanced at me, her green eyes flickering with the light of the fire. "probably. once the storm lets up, someone'll come. joel, if nothing else."

his name sent a pang through my chest, and i tried to mask it by shifting closer to the fire. "yeah. joel."

"you cold?" ellie asked, her voice softer than i expected.

"no, i'm fine," i said quickly, though the truth was, the fire was the only thing keeping my teeth from chattering.

ellie grabbed the small blanket we'd been alternating, tossing it in my direction. "take it."

"what about you?"

she shrugged. "i'm fine."

i hesitated before draping it over my shoulders, the fabric still faintly warm from her using it.

for a while, neither of us said anything, the quiet filled only by the sound of the storm and the occasional pop of the fire. but then ellie broke it.

"so... why'd you do it?" she asked, her tone more curious than accusatory.

i blinked, confused. "do what?"

"run off like that. back there. with the kid."

the question hit a nerve, and i wasn't sure how to answer at first. i rubbed my hands together, trying to buy myself a moment. "she needed help," i said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.

ellie leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees as she watched me. "yeah, i get that. but running off into a storm like that? risking your life? i mean, you didn't even hesitate."

i glanced at her, surprised by the genuine curiosity in her tone. "it wasn't really a choice," i said. "when you've been out there as long as i have, you just... you see someone who needs help, and you act. if you don't..." i trailed off, shaking my head.

ellie nodded slowly, like she understood more than she let on. "yeah. i get it."

i raised an eyebrow. "you do?"

she huffed out a small laugh, her lips quirking into a half-smile. "yeah. more than you'd think."

the tension between us felt like it was loosening, just a little, and i let myself relax against the wall, pulling the blanket tighter around me. "so... what about you?" i asked, tilting my head.

ellie frowned. "what about me?"

"why'd you come back for me?"

she stared at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. then she sighed, leaning her head back against the wall. "honestly? i don't know."

"really selling yourself as a hero there," i said, a teasing smile tugging at my lips.

ellie glanced at me from the corner of her eye, her lips quirking into a faint smirk. "you're lucky i even bothered. honestly, you're kind of a pain in the ass."

i raised an eyebrow, feigning offense. "excuse me? i'm the pain in the ass?"

"yeah," she said, leaning forward to poke at the fire with a stick. the flames flared briefly, casting shadows across her face. "you've been here, what, a week? and you've already managed to charm half the town."

"oh, please." i rolled my eyes, pulling the blanket tighter around me. "if by 'charm,' you mean 'exist peacefully and mind my business,' then sure."

ellie snorted, shaking her head. "nah, don't sell yourself short. they love you. always talking about how sweet and helpful you are."

"is that supposed to be a bad thing?" i asked, raising an eyebrow.

"it's annoying," she said flatly, though there was no real heat behind her words.

"annoying?" i echoed, feigning offense. "sounds more like you're jealous."

ellie's eyes snapped to mine, narrowing. "jealous? of what?"

"of how much they like me," i said, a smug grin spreading across my face.

she scoffed, leaning back against the wall. "yeah, right. don't flatter yourself."

"too late." i shot her a teasing look. "i mean, it's not my fault i'm so likable."

ellie groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "you're unbelievable."

"and yet, here we are," i said with a shrug, unable to hide my amusement.

she shook her head, but there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "the town might love you, but you're really testing my patience."

"good to know i'm special," i said, leaning back against the wall with a grin.

"so... why'd you really come back for me?" i asked, my voice quieter this time.

ellie looked at me, her green eyes sharp but not unkind. "you really wanna know?"

"yeah," i said, holding her gaze.

she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "i didn't wanna have to tell joel i let his niece freeze to death."

i blinked, caught off guard by the bluntness of her answer. but then i saw the faintest twitch of a smirk at the corner of her lips, and i realized she was messing with me.

"you're such a jerk," i said, shaking my head.

"you asked," she said, her smirk growing.

"yeah, well, remind me not to ask again," i shot back, but i couldn't help the small laugh that slipped out.

ellie reached into her pack, rummaging through it for a moment before pulling out a battered can of beans. she held it up with a slight shrug. "dinner?"

"beans?" i said, wrinkling my nose. "you really know how to spoil a girl."

"hey, it's gourmet in this apocalypse," she shot back, grabbing her knife to pry the lid open. "besides, it's this or nothing, princess."

"fine," i muttered, pulling the blanket tighter around my shoulders as i watched her work.

she popped the lid off with a satisfying snap, then skewered one of the beans on the tip of her knife and held it out toward me. "ladies first."

i stared at her, arching an eyebrow. "seriously? that's your idea of sharing?"

"what, you want me to spoon feed you?" she teased, holding the knife closer with a smirk. "take it or leave it."

rolling my eyes, i leaned forward and plucked the bean off with my fingers. "you're the worst," i mumbled, popping it into my mouth. it was cold, mushy, and just as unappetizing as i'd expected.

ellie chuckled, grabbing a bean for herself. "you should be thanking me."

"oh, thank you, ellie," i said with exaggerated sarcasm, crossing my legs under the blanket. "this is truly the height of fine dining."

"you're welcome," she said, her smirk widening as she leaned back against the wall.

we passed the can back and forth, the warmth of the fire and the strange comfort of our banter making the bland meal a little more bearable. at one point, ellie glanced at me and shook her head.

"what?" i asked, narrowing my eyes.

"you've got, uh..." she motioned vaguely toward her chin.

"what?" i repeated, swiping at my face. "did i miss?"

"no, you just look ridiculous with bean juice on your face," she said, laughing under her breath.

"great, now i'm a bean covered princess," i muttered, grabbing the corner of the blanket to wipe my chin. "thanks for the heads up."

"anytime," ellie said, her grin lingering as she leaned back, resting her head against the wall.

as the can emptied and the fire's glow flickered lower, i noticed her shiver slightly, her hands rubbing at her arms. i sighed, holding out the edge of the blanket.

"come on," i said, trying not to sound too annoyed. "you're gonna freeze."

ellie hesitated, her green eyes meeting mine. "i'm fine."

"ellie," i said firmly, lifting the corner higher. "just... share the damn blanket."

after a moment, she relented, scooting closer until her shoulder brushed mine. we adjusted the blanket between us, the added warmth making the cold feel less biting.

"you're bossy, you know that?" she muttered, though her voice had softened.

"yeah, well," i said, nudging her slightly, "you'll survive."

the storm still howled outside, its violent gusts of wind rattling the windows.

ellie shifted next to me, her shoulder brushing mine for the third or fourth time. i could feel her trying to get comfortable, but the space was too small for both of us, especially with the blanket tucked around our shoulders. i didn't mind, though. it was just... different. different in a way i couldn't quite place.

i glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, noticing the way her jaw tightened just slightly whenever she looked at the fire, like it was holding her attention in a way that nothing else could.

"you okay?" i asked quietly. my voice came out softer than i expected.

softer than i usually allowed it to.

she didn't answer immediately, just stared into the fire, and i thought maybe she wouldn't answer at all.

"yeah," she said, her voice a little raspy. "just... tired. and cold. mostly cold."

"yeah, me too." i shifted, trying to get a little more comfortable, but it wasn't really working. my bones still ached from the cold, and the blanket only did so much. "doesn't seem like it's letting up out there."

"nope," ellie replied, her voice distant, like she was thinking about something else entirely. "storm's probably gonna keep going for a while. can't see jackshit out there."

i nodded, staring into the fire. it was almost hypnotic, the way the fire danced, the way the heat from it made the air feel less biting. we stayed like that for a few moments—no words, just the fire and the sounds of the storm.

ellie shifted beside me, pulling her knees up to her chest. her feet brushed against mine, and she let out a soft sigh, her body tensing as if she was trying to shake off the stillness in the air.

"hey," i whispered, voice nearly drowned by the storm. "you asleep?"

she didn't answer right away. i thought maybe she'd fallen asleep, but then, just as i was about to pull away a little, i felt her shift. she leaned a little more against me, her side pressing into mine, the heat from her body sinking into mine, her breath soft and warm against my neck.

"no," she murmured, barely audible, but the closeness of her voice sent a shiver down my spine. "not yet."

i didn't know how to reply, so i stayed still, my heart thudding a little faster in my chest. her presence was... almost too much. but not in a bad way. i didn't want to move. couldn't.

she shifted again, just enough that her hand brushed against mine, her fingers grazing my skin ever so lightly.

it was the smallest thing. but it felt huge. my pulse spiked, and i held my breath, half expecting her to pull away. but she didn't. her hand lingered, warm and steady, right next to mine, and for some reason, i couldn't bring myself to pull away either.

without thinking, my fingers brushed against hers, just a gentle flick, like testing the waters.

she didn't move away. in fact, her fingers responded, just barely, as if she'd been waiting for that moment, for me to make the first move.