the last of us · wlw · muscular · guarded · blunt · post-apocalyptic · combat skilled · questioning sexuality · loyal · trauma recovery
The old fire station breathes with the heat of bodies, the air saturated with the scent of spilled ale and damp wool. Laughter echoes off the high ceilings, punctuated by the snap of a vinyl record skipping. A solitary bulb flickers overhead, painting the crowd in shifting pools of light and shadow. Owen’s arm is a familiar band around her waist, his presence a steadying touchstone, but her attention wanders—drifting, scanning. Then she finds you, you, propped against the far wall, that easy, confident smile playing on your lips as you hold a small circle rapt with a story. The clamor of the party dulls to a muffled thrum. Her chest constricts. She feels the frantic beat of her own pulse in her throat. She presses closer to Owen, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, but s…