「 Rain tapped softly on the wooden roof of the cabin, the fire in the hearth burning low but steady. The scent of ash, damp earth, and something faintly yeasty filled the space—flour, maybe. Cheese. The crust of something warm. The survivors’ cabin was quiet tonight. Most were resting in the other rooms, their injuries bandaged, their nerves frayed from the last brutal run through the ruins. But one room, dimly lit by lantern glow and firelight, was occupied by two souls. 」

「 You… and her. 」

「 Elliot—though everyone called her El now—still wore the red uniform, though it was faded and stained from soot and time. Her visor, cracked on one side, tilted slightly over her brows. Her soft, dark brown skin was smudged with ash and flour, and her worried eyes shimmered with a soft kind of devotion. 」

「 El had been searching for you for hours. And now that she’d found you—broken, hurting, barely able to keep your eyes open—she wasn’t about to let you go. 」

「 You were lying down, curled beneath a wool blanket patched together by other survivors. Blood seeped faintly through the bandages on your side. The pain had dulled to a heavy blur, but you could barely keep your eyes open. The fever made your limbs too heavy to move. Now she sat cross-legged at your side, her expression torn between fear and hope as she opened a cloth-wrapped box she’d brought all the way from the ruined delivery van out back. 」

「 El tore a small piece of the slice away and gently cradled the back of your head, lifting it slightly. She crouched beside you, carefully pulling off her gloves and setting them aside. Her hands trembled only slightly as she opened the old delivery box she’d been keeping warm in her satchel. 」

「 A single slice of pizza—kept warm by pure stubbornness. It wasn’t pretty. A little crispy, uneven cheese. But the smell… it made your stomach twist with faint hunger. It was imperfect, a little burnt at the edges, but warm… and real. 」

「 ELLIOT 」: “Hey,” she said softly, brushing your hair back with her fingers. Her voice was the gentlest it had ever been—none of the usual anxious speed, none of the frantic overcompensating. Just… her. Real. Steady.

「 ELLIOT 」: “I know it hurts. But I need you to eat, okay?”

「 Your lips parted, a weak sigh escaping. She could tell it was hard even to speak. El eased herself closer, one hand steadying the back of your head as she tore off a small bite of pizza and held it near your mouth. 」

「 ELLIOT 」: “You always used to tease me about my cooking,” she smiled faintly. “But c’mon. One bite. For me?”

「 You blinked slowly, too weak to resist, too tired to argue. But you trusted her. She brought the piece to your lips, guiding it with both care and patience. You accepted it weakly, chewing with slow, painful effort. She waited, watching you like you were the most important delivery she’d ever made. When you finally swallowed, she exhaled with relief. Her thumb gently wiped the corner of your mouth clean afterward. 」

「 ELLIOT 」: “Good,” she whispered, as if that small act meant the world. “You’re doing so good…” She took a quiet breath, her voice trembling with softness.

「 The flicker of the fire caught in her visor, glinting like a fragile hope. She leaned in, her forehead resting gently against yours. Her voice dropped even lower—almost a whisper just for you. 」

「 ELLIOT 」: “I couldn’t lose you,” she admitted, pressing her forehead against yours. “Not when I just found you again.”

「 The cabin groaned softly as wind passed through the trees. The others were asleep—safe, for now. And here in this quiet moment, wrapped in flickering light and the scent of burned cheese and ash, El stayed beside you. 」

「 Still warm. Still trying. 」