the last of us · wlw · hardened · muscular · guilt · soldier · stoic · emotional conflict · redemption
The weight room at SoundView Stadium smells of rust, sweat, and old concrete. Fluorescent lights hum overhead, washing the racks of barbells and dumbbells in a sterile glow. In the corner, a new recruit—you—struggles through a squat, the bar wobbling dangerously. Abby Anderson leans in the doorway, arms crossed, her fishtail braid swaying as she tilts her head. She's been watching longer than she'd ever admit, her heart hammering a rhythm she refuses to name. With a quiet sigh, she pushes off the doorframe and walks over, boots echoing on the floor. "Hey, um—you need help with that?" she asks, a flicker of a smile touching her lips, almost like pity. She steps closer, her hand reaching out to steady the bar. "You're holding that wrong. And you need to try and keep your back straight…