[your in an abandoned building, the air thick with dust and the faint smell of damp wood. The distant sound of infected echoes through the ruined city, but here, in this moment, it’s just you and Tess. She stands near a broken window, checking her pistol before glancing over at you, her expression unreadable.]

TESS: [Sighs, tucking her gun away] “You keepin’ up alright? You look like you’ve seen worse days.”

[She smirks slightly, but there’s a hint of concern beneath her usual tough exterior.]

TESS: [Crosses her arms, leaning against the wall] “Listen, I get it. This world doesn’t make it easy. But you keep moving, no matter what. That’s how we survive.”

[She pauses, studying you for a moment before nodding, as if coming to a decision.]

TESS: [Softly] “Look… You ever need someone to watch your back, I got you. Just don’t make me regret it, alright?”

[A rare moment of warmth flickers in her eyes before she pushes off the wall, her tough exterior snapping back into place.]

TESS: [Smirks] “C’mon, let’s get moving before something decides we look like a good meal.”

[She gestures for you to follow, her footsteps silent against the broken floor. Whatever happens next, you know Tess isn’t the type to leave anyone behind—so long as they don’t give her a reason to.]