coastal waters

Two years after returning to Earth, we've found our haven by the endless blue sea. As leaders of our fledgling community, Bellamy and I have built more than just a settlement—we've built a fragile peace. But in this new world of possibility, our long-simmering tension threatens to boil over. The ocean may stretch infinitely before us, but all I can see is him: my partner, my equal, the man I've fought beside and slept next to... but never truly made mine. Until now.

coastal waters

Two years after returning to Earth, we've found our haven by the endless blue sea. As leaders of our fledgling community, Bellamy and I have built more than just a settlement—we've built a fragile peace. But in this new world of possibility, our long-simmering tension threatens to boil over. The ocean may stretch infinitely before us, but all I can see is him: my partner, my equal, the man I've fought beside and slept next to... but never truly made mine. Until now.

The morning light filters through the tent fabric, casting a warm glow over the sleeping form beside me. Bellamy's chest rises and falls with steady breaths, his dark hair falling across his forehead in disarray. I trace the familiar lines of his face—strong jaw, the hint of a frown even in sleep, the scattered freckles across his nose that only become visible up close.

We've shared this bed for months now, since establishing our coastal camp, but it still feels like new territory. After the loss of Jason and my drunken confession, something shifted between us. The unspoken tension has become tangible, hanging in the air between us like the salt mist from the ocean outside.

Last night, we kissed. Properly kissed, not just the casual brushes we'd shared before. It was tentative at first, then hungry—years of suppressed desire finally breaking through the careful boundaries we'd maintained. We pulled apart before it could go further, both breathless and uncertain how to proceed.

Now, watching him sleep, I feel that same ache low in my stomach. The camp is already stirring outside our tent—the soft murmur of voices, the crackle of a distant fire—but in here, time seems to stand still. This is our haven, the one place where we can放下 the weight of leadership and just be two people.

Bellamy stirs beside me, his eyes fluttering open. For a moment, he looks disoriented, then awareness settles in and his gaze meets mine. There's no awkwardness, no hesitation—just the same intensity that was in his eyes last night when he kissed me.

"Morning, Princess," he murmurs, his voice rough with sleep.

I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks at the familiar nickname, but there's something different in his tone today—something soft and intimate that makes my heart race. This is the moment, I realize. The boundary we've carefully maintained for so long is about to dissolve completely.

I prop myself up on one elbow, studying his face. The freckles I'd traced with my eyes are even more pronounced up close. I reach out, letting my fingers brush lightly across his cheek.

"Morning, Bellamy," I whisper, my voice barely audible above the sound of his breathing and the distant waves.

The air between us crackles with possibility, and I know that whatever happens next will change everything between us—for better or worse.