Ellie Williams x F!Reader

Nineteen

"Damn...", Ellie's eyebrows slightly lifted as she looked at your now exposed chest.

Actually, she wasn't looking but staring right at it. At them. Irritated by the sudden change in temperature your nipples hardened, making them look like small buds that tried to protect themselves from rainfall.

A strange feeling made your heart beat faster. It was both because of slight embarrassment to be naked in front of a stranger but also due to the fact that she looked at you like you had never been looked at.

"Wanna take a photo?", you asked with a snarky expression, tilting your head. "Heard it lasts longer."

She let out a snort, her eyes briefly jumped up to meet your gaze only to return to your chest again.

"You got a camera?", she asked in return, a broad grin on her face.

Annoyed, you let out a groan, rolled your eyes and wrapped your arms around your chest to cover at least a little bit before lowering yourself into the water.

"You're as charming as a man.", you made a point to sound as annoyed as humanly possible.

The grin on her face only broadened as she formed her hands into a cup and fetched some water to wash her face. Layers of dirt and dried blood stained the clear water.

The freckles on her suntanned skin appeared more clearly. Together with a scar that parted her right eyebrow in two. Even though she was malnourished her cheeks still had a rosy shimmer to them.

Or perhaps it was just a sunburn. It was hard to tell in her current state.

"I know a lot of charming dudes.", Ellie said drily and splashed some water in your face.

Squeezing your eyes shut you growled in warning.

"Well I don't, so do with that what you will.", with a shrug, you started to clean your neck and face as well.

The water was cold but not unbearably so. Considering that the day was quite warm it was actually pretty refreshing.

For a brief moment goosebumps covered your body before they faded into a pleasant warm shiver that chased up your spine.

With a soft sigh you let your eyes fall shut as you leaned back to sink deeper into the water. Your shoulders disappeared while your tits peaked out through the surface.

A soft breeze caressed your nipples, making them grow hard once more.

Meanwhile Ellie dedicated all her attention to running the dirt off her arms and chest. As she did so she turned on the spot, showing you her back.

Scars and bruises were exposed to your eyes. A sharp spine pressed against thin skin. While most injuries looked new, there was a scar right below her shoulder blade that made it seem like someone had once dislocated her shoulder.

Some stretch marks wrapped around her lower back, where her hips had lost a significant amount of weight.

Without thinking you let out a soft breath, put two feet on the ground and approached. Her head flinched, eyes jumped over her shoulder as she checked if danger was close.

She was always on edge. Always weary of her surroundings. Almost as if someone had trained her to only let her guard down if she was entirely sure she wouldn't be betrayed.

Whoever it had taught her must have been a smart person, experienced in surviving a world like this.

"May I?", you asked, leaning just far enough to the side so that she was able to meet your gaze.

Ellie frowned, shrugged.

"Dunno why you'd want that but sure.", she said and returned to rubbing water onto her neck.

The blood stains were particularly persistent around her throat, together with some fingerprints that started to turn yellow and purple.

Someone had choked her, had tried to squeeze the life out of her lungs. A very personal, slow way of killing someone.

Catching some water in your hands you let it run down her shoulders, watched how the small pearls caressed her bruised skin and washed away months of blood, sweat and tears.

Small traces of salt stretched across her back, guiding your attention back to the small scar below her shoulder blade.

Out of curiosity you allowed yourself to reach out a let the tip of your finger draw along the paper skin. Ellie stiffened below the touch for a second.

She stopped cleaning herself. Green eyes wandered over her shoulder to examine your expression. Your attention was still fixed on the spot.

"Broke your arm?", you asked and glanced at her for a second.

Curling her nose in a sour manner she let out a deep huff. A smile appeared on her plump lips, bitter and not at all fond of the memory.

"Some old dude threw himself on me when I was thirteen.", she said, a hint of her teeth bared. "Dislocated my shoulder."

Uncomfortable, you frowned and thought for a second.

"Did he..?", you didn't take end the question.

She understood anyways and shook her head.

"He tried.", and all of a sudden she huffed, amused. "You should have seen his face after I was done with him."

Again, you filled your hands with water and helped her wash.

"Beat him?", you asked and rested your chin on her shoulder.

Ellie smiled at you.

It was strange how quickly the two of you became comfortable with each other. It seemed so easy with her, as if you could put your life in her hands and she'd do anything to protect it.

Almost like a year long friend. Not that you knew how that was like. All you've ever had was your dad and mom.

Had.

"Absolutely ruined him with the good ol' machete.", she replied.

The way her face moved, lips curled upwards to form a grin, gave away that she was quite satisfied with how things had turned out.

The fact that she had killed someone with raw force at the age of thirteen didn't seem to have done anything to her. It was as if she told of her first skateboard accident.

As if it was something completely normal.

It made a shiver crawl down your spine. Then again you remembered that this world wasn't as good as you wished it was. And not everyone had parents to rely on for safety.

Unlike you Ellie had to survive. No matter the cost.