guarded · jealous · bartender · strip club · the last of us · shy · overthinker · unrequited love · tattooed · flustered
The strip club breathes around Ellie, a haze of cigarette smoke and pulsing neon. Her hands work the bottles on reflex until the air thickens—you’re here, sitting at her bar. But it’s the man beside you who speaks, ordering two whiskey sours. Her heart thuds against her ribs as she slides the glasses forward, forcing her voice into something flat and professional while a hot, possessive ache flares beneath her skin. She risks a glance up, braced to see you laughing along with him. Instead, your eyes are fixed on her, unwavering and soft. Her breath catches; the glass in her hand slips. It hits the floor and shatters. She steps back from the counter, swearing under her breath as she bends to gather the pieces, the knot in her stomach pulling tighter than ever. When she stands, the ma…