“She told me I was good at it,” Logan said, his voice softer now, tinged with a faint warmth. “Told me I couldn’t let him take away what I loved. So I didn’t. Surfing became… it became my escape. My way to breathe. My freedom.”
Adrian shifted slightly, his body leaning back just enough to meet Logan’s gaze. The room dimmed, bathed in soft rays of sunshine filtering in, illuminating the space as delicate motes of dust danced gracefully in the light. Adrian sought Logan’s eyes, as if even the briefest connection could tether them both in this fragile, vulnerable moment. His voice pierced the silence, tender and laden with anguish. “I’m so sorry, Lo.”
Logan shook his head, his hair brushing against the pillow. “It’s okay,” he murmured, though the words carried the weight of a thousand unshed tears. “No matter how much I hated him, I loved him. I wanted him to care about me.” He paused, his voice trembling as if carried by a gust of wind.
Adrian’s hand slid away from Logan’s back, and he cupped his face instead, his touch gentle but firm, like a lifeguard pulling someone from the undertow. He wanted to absorb all of Logan’s pain, to pull it from him and carry it away like the tide.
“And since then,” Logan continued, his voice quieter now, almost lost to the night, “he’s always ignored me whenever I did something he didn’t like. He’d come home, talk to my sisters, spend time with them, buy them gifts… but he ignored me. Like I never existed.”
Logan’s voice cracked, and Adrian felt it like a physical wound. He stayed silent, letting Logan empty his heart.
“My mom tried,” Logan whispered, his voice thick with memories. “She’d spend time with me, buy me things, talk to me. But it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t her I wanted. It was him. And the way he ignored me… it was like I wasn’t even a person. If I was in the same room, I might as well have been a chair, or a picture on the wall.” Logan’s breath hitched, and Adrian tightened his grip on him, steadying him like a rock in the storm. “Once,” Logan continued, his voice fraying at the edges, “he picked my sisters up from school on a Friday and just… didn’t come home with them. The whole weekend, I thought maybe they’d gone somewhere boring, maybe I wasn’t missing much. But when they came back, their faces were glowing. They told me about the carnival, the circus, the zoo—cotton candy, elephants, rides that made them scream until they laughed. They got all of him. And I was left behind, like I didn’t even exist.”
“Lo,” Adrian whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. “I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve any of it.” He pulled Logan into a fierce embrace, his arms wrapping around him like a shield. “You didn’t deserve any of it.”
Logan nodded but said nothing. His silence was heavy, but Adrian didn’t push. Instead, he leaned closer, his voice a soft promise.
“Lo, you’re perfect,” Adrian murmured, his words a balm against Logan’s raw edges.
Logan closed his eyes and sighed deeply, those words sinking into him, a sunlight breaking through storm clouds. Adrian brushed his lips over Logan’s, a tender, ghost-like touch that seemed to sayI see you, I feel you, I’m here.Logan inhaled sharply, as if Adrian’s breath was filling his own lungs, and in that moment, he felt lighter, freer.
“I never told anyone about this,” Logan muttered, his words brushing against Adrian’s lips like a secret carried on the wind.
“Thank you for trusting me,” Adrian whispered back, his voice trembling with gratitude.
Logan leaned forward and kissed him again, their lips meeting in a quiet, unhurried dance. The kiss deepened, their bodies pressing closer together, their shared warmth chasing away the chill of painful memories. Logan’s hands gripped Adrian tightly, afraid to let go, and Adrian melted into him, their hearts beating in sync.
Logan felt heat bloom through his body, his need rising. Adrian’s body against his stirred him, and he could feel Adrian’s thick cock pressing against his, the lightest of touches as Adrian softly, almost instinctively, rubbed his shaft against Logan’s, chasing friction. His heart ached for more, his body craved it, but Adrian didn’t push. True to his nature, Adrian simply held him, his touch reverent, his focus entirely on Logan’s lips and the moment they shared, their bodies wanted, but the light and soft touches were enough for now.
When the kiss finally broke, Logan was left breathless, his chest rising and falling. He closed his eyes and listened, focusing on the rapid thrum of Adrian’s heartbeat, the way Adrian’s body enveloped his own like a cocoon.
“My dad cut my wings so much,” Logan whispered brokenly, his voice cracking like fragile glass, “that I’m sure I’ll never be able to fly again.” His hand settled on Adrian’s hip, a quiet plea for reassurance.
Adrian’s voice came immediately, steady and unwavering. “That’s not true,” he stated, his hand finding the curve of Logan’s neck and massaging it gently, soothing him with the touch of someone who wanted to heal. “You ran away. You escaped. You’re already spreading your wings.”
Adrian’s fingers brushed Logan’s hair, his voice soft but full of conviction. “And from where I’m standing, Lo, they’re marvelous.”
Logan let out a shaky breath, Adrian’s words sinking into him like the tide retreating, leaving a calmer, smoother shore behind.
September 18, 2018—Palawan, Philippines—A Month Later
Thehumidairclungto Logan like a second skin, his shirt plastered to his chest and his breath coming in shallow pants. The Philippine forest surrounded them in a lush, green embrace, its towering trees and the distant call of birds weaving a tapestry of natural beauty. Logan wiped the sweat from his brow, his GoPro strapped to his chest capturing glimpses of the trail they’d been hiking all morning. Adrian was at his side, his presence as constant and comforting as the rhythm of Logan’s own heartbeat.
It had been a month since their first kiss—a month of discovery, of stolen moments and quiet tenderness. Awkwardness had come and gone, but what lingered was the sweetness of shared mornings, of kisses that tasted like promises, and of a bond that grew stronger with every passing day. Logan glanced at Adrian, his gaze lingering. The way Adrian’s damp shirt clung to his frame, the way his messy hair fell into his eyes—it was enough to make Logan’s heart stutter.
The trail wound deeper into the forest, and Logan couldn’t help but marvel at the vibrant life around them. They’d decided on a two-day trek to fully immerse themselves in the beauty of the land, leaving their boards back at the cabin they’d rented. Logan’s camera caught snippets of it all—the sway of the trees, the play of sunlight through the canopy, and Adrian’s easy grin as they hiked together.
Out of nowhere, Logan felt himself shoved backward, his body hitting the rough bark of a tree with a muted thud. Before he could register what was happening, Adrian was on him, their bodies flushed, theirsweat-slicked skin melding in the humid air. Logan let out a breathless laugh, the sheer audacity of Adrian’s sudden boldness catching him off guard.
“Ad—” he started, but Adrian silenced him with a kiss, fierce and consuming.
Logan melted into it, his fingers tangling in Adrian’s unruly hair while his other hand gripped the back of Adrian’s neck. The heat between them was intense, both from the tropical air and the raw passion igniting between their bodies. Adrian tasted like salt and heat and something wholly his own, and Logan couldn’t get enough.
Adrian’s hands grew bolder, sliding up beneath Logan’s damp shirt. His touch was electric, every brush of his fingers setting Logan’s nerves alight. “You’re driving me crazy,” Adrian growled against Logan’s lips, his voice low and rough, sending shivers down Logan’s spine.
Logan’s fingers curled around the straps of Adrian’s backpack, unfastening the weight from Adrian’s shoulders before letting it slip to the jungle floor. The impact was soft, muffled by the damp, loamy earth, but the moment between them was anything but gentle. With a swift motion, Logan reversed their positions, pressing Adrian against the moss-covered trunk of an ancient tree, his breath warm against Adrian’s jaw.
Adrian gasped—a sharp inhale that turned into a chuckle, low and breathless. He barely had a moment to react before Logan’s hands gripped the back of his strong thighs, lifting him as though he weighed nothing. Instinct took over. Adrian’s arms wrapped around Logan’s shoulders, fingers digging into the sinewy muscles beneath his damp shirt, his legs tightening around Logan’s waist.
