The tension that had gripped him all day melted away, replaced by a soothing warmth that seeped into his bones. He felt utterly ridiculous for how overwhelmed he’d been by Logan’s absence, but that didn’t matter now. Logan was here, and the world felt right again.
“Tell me what’s wrong,” Logan insisted, his voice soft but resolute as he gazed into Adrian’s eyes.
Adrian had never been good at hiding his emotions, and now was no exception. He let out a shaky breath, the words tumbling out of him before he could stop them. “It’s nothing, it’s just… you’ve been kind of distant today, and I got all in my head about it. I was afraid that you’d been overthinking what happened between us, that maybe you regret it. If you do, it’s fine, but I wondered if I should have stopped us and waited a little longer—” He broke off, realizing how foolish he sounded. “God, I’m so dumb. You were gone for a few hours, and I got so anxious…”
Fresh tears spilled down his cheeks, though this time they carried relief as much as anything else. Logan’s hands cupped his face gently, thumbs brushing away the wet streaks. One hand tucked a stray strand of Adrian’s sun-kissed hair behind his ear, and Logan smiled at him, fond and unshakeable.
“If you remember,” Logan teased lightly, “I was ready to leave altogether when you left me alone that first time.”
Adrian let out a wet laugh, the sound bubbling up unbidden. Logan grinned, his eyes twinkling with humor. “So, all things considered, you’re handling this way better than I did.”
The laughter melted into something quieter, something warmer, as Logan leaned in, his lips brushing Adrian’s in a kiss so gentle it felt like the ocean’s caress. It deepened, Logan’s teeth grazing Adrian’s lower lip before their tongues met in a slow, tender rhythm. The kiss was not hurried, not frenzied, it was a reassurance, a quiet promise. When Logan pulled back, his hand slipped to the nape of Adrian’s neck, his fingers threading through the long hairs there.
“I’m sorry,” Logan said, his voice a mix of tenderness and regret. “I should’ve been more candid with you. I was a bit distracted today, but I regretnothing. Adrian, get this through your thick skull—” Logan tapped his hand gently, lovingly on Adrian’s forehead for emphasis. “I wanted you, I still want you, and what happened between us? That was the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Adrian blinked, the words settling into his chest like sunlight breaking through the clouds. He nodded slowly, his voice steady as he said, “I’ll remember this.”
He let his head rest against Logan’s chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. Logan’s arms circled him, holding him close, and they sat in silence for a moment, the world around them reduced to the sound of the waves and their breathing.
“Don’t you want to ask me where I’ve been?” Logan said after a while, breaking the quiet.
Adrian shook his head. “No. If you needed time alone, I understand. You can go whenever you need to, it’s totally fine.”
Logan laughed, the sound rumbling in his chest, and suddenly he leaned forward, reaching behind Adrian to grab something he had dropped in the sand earlier. Adrian sat up, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What—?”
Logan straightened, holding something in triumph: a guitar, brand new, its wood glowing faintly in the soft evening light. “Happy birthday, Adrian!” Logan announced, his grin wide and unrestrained.
Adrian’s mouth fell open as he stared at the guitar, utterly dumbfounded. “What? Logan—” he stammered, his words tripping over themselves.
Logan shifted nervously, the guitar resting awkwardly in his lap as he watched Adrian’s face for any hint of a reaction. The silence was unbearable, stretching out between them like the ocean at low tide.
“I saw your passport the other night,” Logan began, his voice quick and uncertain, “when I was looking for the power bank, remember? And I saw the date. Icannotbelieve you weren’t going to tell me it’s your birthday.” His words came in a rush, as if filling the void would ease his nerves. “So, I wracked my brain trying to figure out what to get you. When we were trekking back yesterday, the idea hit me. I called a music shop last nightafter you fell asleep and started asking questions. Believe me, it was not easy.”
Adrian’s eyes softened, but he still didn’t speak, letting Logan continue.
Logan scooted back slightly, positioning the guitar between them, and pointed to an engraving at the bottom of the instrument. “Look,” he said, his voice quieter now, more hesitant.
Adrian leaned forward, his breath catching as he read the words etched into the wood:
To my life-saver.
Logan smiled sheepishly. “It was a pain in the ass to find a place that engraves, but I asked around, Googled a bunch, and eventually found someone. Then there was the issue of you being left-handed. I wasn’t sure if you used a left-handed guitar or had adapted to a regular one. But I couldn’t ask you outright, because that would’ve ruined the surprise.”
Adrian’s lips parted, but no sound came out. His gaze flickered between Logan and the guitar, his eyes glistening.
“So,” Logan continued, clearly trying to fill the silence, “I went to Facebook and found some pictures and a video of you with a guitar. The salesperson and I analyzed them like we were some detectives, which wasn’t easy since his English wasn’t the best, and we eventually figured out that you play upside down on a regular guitar. So, I got this one, and I got it engraved.”
Logan hesitated, watching Adrian’s expression closely. “Shit. Have I done something wrong? You don’t want it? Please don’t tell me you play a left-handed guitar! Oh God, Adrian, youreallyneed to say something right now!”
But Adrian didn’t say a word. Instead, he carefully took the guitar from Logan’s hands, laying it gently on the sand beside them. Then, with a sudden surge of motion, he pushed Logan back against the sand, pressing him down with a kiss that spoke every word he couldn’t yet say. The wind dried Adrian’s tears as they fell, leaving glistening tracks on Logan’s cheeks where their faces brushed.
The kiss deepened, Adrian pouring every ounce of gratitude, relief, and affection into it. When they finally broke apart, breathless, Adrian buried his face in the crook of Logan’s neck, his tears mingling with the salty air.
“Thank you,” he said at last, his voice thick with feeling. He pulled back just enough to see Logan’s face, his own expression reverent, almost fragile. In Adrian’s eyes flickered a tenderness that hadn’t needed a name to be real, something that grew sharper, stronger, every time they drew close; something that lived in the space between words, waiting. “I spent all this time afraid you had second thoughts, and instead you were out getting me the most thoughtful gift I’ve ever received. I… I don’t even have the words.”
“Did I get it right? You play a right-handed guitar and flip it?” Logan asked, his voice laced with a rare uncertainty. He shifted his weight, hoping—really hoping—he hadn’t screwed this up. He wanted this moment to be perfect.
Adrian blinked, his gaze dropping to Logan’s lips. For a moment, he said nothing. Then, a slow smile spread across his face, something gentle, something that made Logan’s stomach flip.
