They finished undressing in silence, and when they were bare, Adrian stepped into the tub first. The water welcomed him gently, lapping at hisskin with the warmth of a long-awaited embrace. A sigh slipped from his lips as he sank in, eyes fluttering closed, steam rising in soft ribbons around him. The heat wrapped around his sore body, easing the tension from his muscles.
Then Logan joined him, moving slowly, the water shifting to make room. He settled in behind Adrian, arms folding around him beneath the surface, the way rivers curve around stone. Adrian shifted, pressing himself against Logan’s chest, letting his body melt into him. Logan’s arms came around him instantly, holding him close, one hand resting over Adrian’s heart, the steady rhythm of it grounding them both.
After a long moment, Adrian raised his hand, staring at the ring on his finger, the tiny silver band that now carried so much weight.
“I think you’re right,” Logan said thoughtfully, gazing at the light glinting off the ring’s smooth surface. “The storm appeared out of nowhere. I remember suddenly feeling the shift in the water; it was so bizarre. I hadn’t thought much about it, but now that I do… I… I think you’re right.”
Logan leaned in, pressing his lips against Adrian’s ear, gently nipping at the lobe. “I love seeing my ring on you,” he added, voice thick with emotion.
Adrian smiled softly, tilting his head as Logan trailed kisses down his neck.
“You’re so beautiful.” Adrian exhaled, his free hand coming up to rest over Logan’s, his fingers tracing the veins beneath his skin. “I think the storm wasn’t just so I could save you,” Adrian murmured. “Maybe it was so you could save me, too.”
Logan pressed a kiss to the side of his head, his grip tightening.
“Then I hope we have a thousand more storms, Ad. Because I’m never letting you go.”
The warm water lapped gently around them, their bodies sinking into the quiet intimacy of the moment. Logan’s fingers traced absentminded circles against Adrian’s damp skin, his arms wrapped securely around him as if anchoring him in place.
Adrian tilted his head back slightly, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to Logan’s lips. It was soft, unhurried, one of those kisses that wasn’t about passion but about feeling, about remembering.
“Sometimes… I wish we could go back to your cabin in Hawaii,” Adrian murmured, his voice low and steeped in nostalgia. The words drifted through the steam like a memory reborn, delicate and aching. “Of all the places we traveled, that’s the one I loved the most. Probably because… it’s where we met.”
Logan hummed in agreement, a soft sound vibrating against Adrian’s skin as he rested his chin on his shoulder. “I feel that, too.” His voice was soft, lost in memory. “There’s something about Hawaii that just… stayed with me. I mean, Australia was incredible, sure, and the Philippines—God, the waves there were unreal. But nothing compares to that night at that tiny, lame bar where we first met.”
Adrian chuckled, a breath of sound that danced between them. His fingers traced slow, absent-minded lines across Logan’s forearm, skin to skin. “You think that was a date?”
Logan smirked, tilting his head in thought. “Hmm… tricky question.” He pretended to consider it, even though the answer was already written across his heart. “But I’d have to say yes. I mean, we got to know each other, right?”
“Definitely,” Adrian agreed, lips curling, his voice warm as sun-drenched sand.
He shifted in the tub, turning until he faced Logan fully, one leg slipping to each side of him. The water lapped around them in lazy waves, steam rising in gentle coils. The scent of soap mingled with a calming oil—lavender or sandalwood—something that made Adrian’s body feel lighter, more his again. Logan’s arms wrapped around him, drawing him closer, and Adrian melted into the embrace like breath into air.
“I was excited as hell that night, don’t know about you.” Logan’s smile was playful, but his eyes were filled with something deeper.
Adrian stole another quick kiss, his lips ghosting over Logan’s before pulling away. “You know I was.”
Logan grinned. “And there was even an invitation for a second date.”
Adrian chuckled, shaking his head. “Yup. You totally invited me for a second date after that night.”
“What? I was terrified I wouldn’t see you again!” Logan defended himself, feigning indignation.
Adrian smirked, turning slightly to face him. “Don’t worry, ahuv sheli. If you hadn’t invited me, I would have invited you.” His voice softened, a gentle smile gracing his lips as he reached up to brush his fingers along Logan’s jaw.
Logan let out a laugh, his nose nudging against Adrian’s. “Of course, you would have.” His voice dropped to a teasing whisper. “You had a crush on me from the start.”
Adrian rolled his eyes, though his smile only widened. “Yeah, and you were jealous most of the time.”
Logan scoffed, his laughter a soft rumble against Adrian’s chest as he tightened his arms around him, pulling him closer. “What can I say? I was going through a lot.”
Adrian melted into him, letting himself be held, letting the weight of time blur around them. The past and the present weren’t separate anymore—they were intertwined, stitched together by love, by loss, by them.
“I know,” Adrian murmured, resting his head on Logan’s broad shoulder, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing.
For a while, there was nothing but the hush of the water and the quiet hum of their heartbeats syncing. Then, Logan whispered, “Ad?”
Adrian hummed in response, his body completely relaxed against Logan’s.
