The morning sun filtered softly through the curtains of the beachside cottage, casting golden light over the tangle of limbs and sheets where Jake and Sam lay. The air smelled of salt and the lingering warmth of their closeness. Sam stirred first, brushing his lips against Jake’s bare shoulder before stretching with a satisfied sigh.

"Morning," Jake murmured, pulling Sam closer for a slow, lazy kiss. "Sleep well?"

"Best sleep of my life," Sam admitted, his fingers tracing idle circles on Jake’s back. "Though I’m not sure if it was the ocean air or you."

Jake chuckled, pressing his forehead to Sam’s. "We should get up. Breakfast?"

Sam groaned but relented, following Jake to the small kitchen where they moved around each other with ease, making coffee, toasting bread, frying eggs. Between bites and sips, they talked about anything and everything—their childhoods, favorite books, embarrassing teenage crushes. They laughed often, comfortable in their growing intimacy.

After breakfast, they packed a small cooler and set out for the beach. The sun was high, warming the sand beneath their feet as they strolled along the shoreline, waves licking at their ankles. They splashed each other playfully before diving into the water, their laughter carried away on the breeze.

By midday, they were sprawled on a blanket, sharing a simple lunch of sandwiches and fruit. Jake popped a grape into Sam’s mouth, grinning as he tried to talk around it.

"You ever think about how days like this feel like they could last forever?" Sam mused, stretching out beside Jake.

"Yeah," Jake said, gazing at him. "Maybe they do, in some way."

The afternoon was spent exploring. They rented bikes, riding through winding coastal trails, stopping to take in the view or challenge each other to silly races. Later, they found a hiking path that led them to a secluded cliffside, where they sat side by side, watching the waves crash below.

"I could stay here forever," Sam said.

Jake bumped his shoulder. "Then I’d have to stay too."

On their way back to the cottage, they picked up dinner from a small seaside café—a simple meal of fresh seafood and crisp white wine. They ate on the porch, the sky painted in hues of deep orange and violet. The sound of the waves played in the background, a familiar, steady rhythm against their growing bond.

After dinner, as the stars began to prick the sky, Sam nudged Jake. "Let’s play a game."

Jake raised an eyebrow. "What kind of game?"

Sam grinned. "Whenever I hear your voice…"

Jake smirked, catching on. "I smile."

Sam nodded approvingly. "Whenever I hear your voice…"

Jake pretended to think. "The world sparkles."

They went back and forth, their words a mix of teasing and sincerity.

"I laugh."

"I pause and listen."

"I feel safe."

"I feel home."

As the evening deepened, their words slowed, turning into soft whispers between them, until their hands found each other’s, their lips met, and they made love beneath the quiet moonlight.

Much later, wrapped in each other’s warmth, Sam let out a sleepy murmur. "Every time I hear your voice…"

Jake, half-asleep, responded instinctively. "It calms my heart."

A pause. Then, Sam whispered again, "Every time I hear your voice…"

Jake smiled against his skin. "I know I am in love."

With that, they drifted into sleep, the sound of the ocean a lullaby to their deepening connection, their hearts forever intertwined.
​
~Wylddane

In the Quiet of Us

The moon hung low in the sky, its silver glow casting soft shadows across the small beachside cottage where Jake and Sam lay entwined. The waves outside whispered against the shore, a rhythmic lullaby to their quiet, intimate discovery. The air between them shimmered with something more than desire—it was reverence, the slow unraveling of guarded hearts, the merging of souls as much as bodies.

Jake traced lazy patterns across Sam’s bare shoulder, watching the way his breath hitched in response, the way his skin warmed beneath each touch. It was as if every movement spoke a language only they could understand. Sam, in turn, let his fingertips dance over Jake’s chest, marveling at the steady heartbeat beneath, the pulse that now felt as essential to him as his own.

It was not just passion that filled the space between them, but something deeper—an unspoken knowing. Each touch was not just touch, but revelation. The curve of a collarbone, the whisper of lips against a jawline, the way Jake shivered at Sam’s breath against his neck—it all became sacred, a slow and patient unveiling of trust and love.

“I didn’t know it could be like this,” Sam murmured, his voice hushed in the dim light. He rested his forehead against Jake’s, their breaths mingling in the space between them.

Jake smiled, brushing a hand through Sam’s hair. “Me neither.”

And yet, here they were, discovering not only each other’s bodies but the hidden corners of their hearts. Every glance, every sigh, every shared silence wove them closer together, threads of something unbreakable taking shape between them.

In the quiet hours of the night, they simply existed together—wrapped in warmth, in understanding. A touch was magic. A smile lit up the darkness. A whispered word calmed the storm inside. Neither had ever felt this kind of pull before—this undeniable, consuming gravity toward another person.

As dawn began to creep in through the sheer curtains, they stirred, reluctant to part from the cocoon of their embrace. Jake stretched, reaching for the blanket to drape over them before pressing a lingering kiss to Sam’s temple. Sam sighed contentedly, shifting closer, unwilling to let go just yet.

Eventually, they rose, their movements slow and unhurried. Wrapped in nothing but soft morning air and each other’s presence, they made their way to the small kitchen. Jake poured two cups of coffee, the rich aroma filling the space between them. Sam leaned against the counter, watching him, feeling the profound peace that had settled in his bones.

They stepped out onto the porch, steaming mugs in hand, and let the world unfold before them. The horizon stretched endlessly, the sky painted in soft pinks and golds, a quiet promise of the day to come.

Side by side, they stood, drinking in the moment as much as the coffee in their hands. No words were needed. In the hush of the morning, in the warmth of each other’s presence, they dreamed of the future—of sunrises shared, of laughter, of a love that would never wane.

Jake reached over, threading his fingers through Sam’s, squeezing gently.

Sam turned to him, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Where do we go from here?”

Jake exhaled, looking out at the endless sea before them. “Wherever the tide takes us.”

~Wylddane

​The sun hung high over Pacifica, casting golden light over the rolling waves. The sky stretched endlessly above them, a soft shade of blue that seemed almost too perfect. A gentle breeze carried the scent of salt and warmth, rustling through Sam’s tousled brown hair as he stood at the edge of the water. The ocean lapped at his feet, the coolness of it a sharp contrast to the heat of the sun on his skin.

Behind him, Jake watched, his striking blue eyes reflecting the sea. This place—the same beach where they had once walked in the rain, hearts heavy with unspoken words—felt different now. The air no longer held the weight of uncertainty. Instead, it hummed with something lighter, something known.

Sam turned, a small smile tugging at his lips as he met Jake’s gaze. “Feels different in the sun.”

Jake nodded, stepping closer until their arms brushed. “It does.” He let out a slow breath, the sound lost to the waves. “Last time, we didn’t really know what this was. Now… I think we do.”

Sam glanced down, the warmth rising to his cheeks having little to do with the sun. “Yeah.” He hesitated, his toes digging into the wet sand. “I still think about that day. How everything just… shifted.”

Jake reached for his hand then, fingers threading together naturally, as if they had always belonged that way. “Me too. I think that’s when I knew—really knew.” He squeezed Sam’s hand gently. “I just needed the sun to show me what the rain had started.”

Sam’s heart swelled at the words, at the way Jake’s voice wrapped around them like something precious. He looked up, meeting the gaze that had once held an entire ocean’s worth of questions. Now, it held something else—something steady, something sure.

Sam exhaled, his free hand coming up to rest against Jake’s chest, feeling the steady beat beneath his palm.

“So… where do we go from here?”

Jake smiled, leaning in just enough for his forehead to brush against Sam’s. “Wherever the tide takes us.”

The waves continued to roll in, the sun casting their shadows long against the sand. And as they stood there, wrapped in warmth and something deeper than words, they knew—this was just the beginning.

~Wylddane

Rainy Day Love

The sky hung low over Pacifica, a soft veil of mist blurring the horizon where the ocean met the sky. Rainfall, light and steady, clung to the world like a secret—quiet, intimate. It was the kind of day where the world seemed to narrow down to a few simple things: the salty breeze, the endless whisper of waves, and the gentle patter of rain on sand.

Sam, his brown hair curling slightly under the weight of the mist, walked a few steps ahead of Jake, his gaze fixed on the rolling tide. The world felt like it was holding its breath, suspended in time, as if the universe itself was waiting for something to happen. Jake, with his striking blue eyes that seemed to hold the entire Pacific within them, was closer than Sam realized, but not yet close enough. His steps were light, careful, as though testing the ground, as though he was waiting for something, too.

They had been walking together for what felt like hours, but neither of them spoke. Words weren’t necessary today. The silence between them was comfortable, like an old sweater that had molded to their bodies and had become part of who they were.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Sam finally spoke, his voice low but steady. He glanced over at Jake, his gaze lingering for a moment longer than usual. Jake’s lips twitched upward in a smile, and the sight of it made Sam’s heart flutter, a soft, unbidden feeling that he hadn’t quite figured out yet.

“It’s perfect,” Jake said, his voice carrying the same weight of something unspoken. They both knew what they meant. Perfect. Not just the beach or the rain, but the feeling between them. The way their steps had slowly synced together as they walked, the way their shoulders brushed, the way Sam’s heart beat a little faster when Jake laughed, when Jake’s eyes met his with a quiet intensity.

Sam shifted his gaze back to the horizon. He could feel Jake’s presence, right there beside him, a constant pull that tugged at him in ways he hadn’t expected. But he was afraid to speak the truth aloud—afraid that saying it might break the fragile, sacred thing they’d built in this shared silence.

“I don’t know why I’m so drawn to you,” Sam admitted suddenly, his voice almost drowned by the sound of the waves crashing. “It’s like… like something inside me knows you’re the one.”

Jake’s footsteps faltered for a second, and Sam turned just in time to see the vulnerable flicker of surprise in his eyes.

“You feel it too?” Jake’s words were soft, almost shy, a far cry from the confident smile he wore most of the time.

Sam nodded, his chest tightening. “Yeah. I don’t know how to explain it. But I do.”

There was a pause, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable one. It was a space that needed to be filled, and neither of them seemed to be in any hurry to rush it. The rain continued to fall, the world around them spinning in its usual way, but in that moment, time felt like it belonged only to them.

Jake stepped closer then, his shoulder brushing Sam’s, a gentle pressure that felt like the beginning of something new. Sam’s heart stuttered in his chest, and he couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at his lips.

“I think I’ve always known,” Jake said, his voice barely more than a whisper now. “I just didn’t know what it was until you. Until this.”

Sam met his gaze, his brown eyes locking with Jake’s blue ones, and something unspoken passed between them. It was as if the world around them didn’t matter anymore. The rain, the beach, the mist—they were all just background noise to the quiet understanding that had settled between their hearts.

“I’m glad you found me,” Sam murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

Jake smiled, a slow, easy smile that reached his eyes. “I think I always knew where to look.”

The rain fell harder now, not in the soft mist it had been, but in steady, rhythmic droplets that soaked through their clothes, turning the world into a blur of wet colors. But neither of them cared. They stood there, side by side, not speaking, but feeling the words in their bones.

Sam turned to face Jake fully, his heart racing in his chest. And in that moment, there was no question, no doubt. The distance between them—emotional or physical—had disappeared. Without a word, Jake reached out, his fingers brushing Sam’s cheek in a soft, fleeting touch.

Sam closed his eyes, leaning into the warmth of Jake’s hand, and when he opened them again, Jake was there, closer than ever before, his face illuminated by the quiet storm of the day.

“I think I love you,” Sam whispered, the words tasting both strange and familiar on his tongue.

Jake didn’t need to say it back. His eyes said everything. Instead, he closed the space between them, pulling Sam into a kiss—slow, hesitant at first, as though testing the waters, then deeper, as if finally giving in to the pull that had been there all along.

The rain fell harder still, but they didn’t notice. They were lost in each other, discovering something pure and unspoken, in the way their hearts beat in time, in the quiet rhythm of a love that had always been there, just waiting to be found.
​
And in the distance, the waves kept crashing, as if the ocean itself was cheering them on.

~Wylddane