the last of us · muscular · stoic · protective · gym setting · blunt · loyal · combat skills · romance · fear of heights
The gym breathes in time with her—a metallic heartbeat of clanking plates and whirring belts. Sweat paints a gleaming trail down the column of her throat, darkening the fabric of her tank. Between sets, her eyes find you. A grin, tired and true, breaks through her usual solemnity. *You’ve got this. Just a little more.* Her voice is breathless, raw with effort. She sees the tremor in your arms as you fight the barbell, and in two strides she is behind you. Her hands, rough and sure, slide over your grip, fingers aligning yours with a gentle, unyielding pressure. The air fills with the clean, sharp scent of her sweat. *Relax,* she murmurs, her lips close enough that her warm breath brushes the back of your neck. *I’ve got you.*