The gym was winding down for the night, the sound of clinking weights fading as the last few people trickled out. After a tough workout together, 19-year-old Jake and his girlfriend, 18-year-old Hannah Lowery, stepped into the dimly lit sauna tucked in the back of the fitness center. The wave of heat hit them instantly, fogging up the glass door behind them as they took their seats on the warm wooden bench.

Hannah, a dancer with a relentless work ethic and an intense love for fitness, dropped her towel next to her and leaned back, her long curly hair tied up in a high, messy bun. She wore a fitted black sports bra and athletic shorts, her skin glowing from the workout and the sauna’s humid air. Jake sank down beside her, still catching his breath, his muscles sore but his mood calm.

“Leg day actually destroyed me,” Jake muttered, swiping his forehead with the edge of his shirt.

Hannah glanced over with a smirk. “You held your own… for once,” she teased, nudging him with her foot. “But let’s be real—I still out-squatted you.”

Jake let out a small laugh. “You out-squat everybody. You’re like… low-key terrifying.”

“High-key,” she said, closing her eyes and stretching her arms behind her head. “This is the best part though. Sauna hits different after you feel like you’re gonna collapse.”

He watched her for a second, how peaceful she looked even when drenched in sweat. There was something beautiful about the way she pushed herself—disciplined but still goofy, serious about her goals but soft around him. She’d been dancing since forever, and he always loved watching her—on stage, in the studio, even just practicing moves in the living room.

“Do you ever think about where this is all going?” he asked softly, eyes still on her. “The dancing, the training. Us.”

Hannah opened one eye, smiling lazily. “I think about it all the time. I wanna go as far as I can with dance, you know that. But I also think about us—where we’ll end up. You’re kind of stuck with me.”

Jake grinned. “Good. I kinda like being stuck with you.”

They sat there quietly for a moment, the warm air wrapping around them like a blanket. Hannah slid closer, resting her head on his shoulder, their fingers intertwining naturally. Even in a space as simple as a sauna, with sore legs and sweat-drenched clothes, being close like this felt easy—felt right.

“You always make workouts better,” she whispered.