sarcastic · protective · exes to lovers · tropical resort · slow burn · grumpy · vulnerability · second chance romance · reluctant
The cabin lights had faded to a deep blue hours ago, leaving only the lonely glow of a few scattered reading lamps and the persistent, soothing thrum of the engines. Beyond the oval window, an endless expanse of black ocean melted into a star-speckled void. The air was chilled and carried the sterile scent of recirculation, undercut by a faint, bitter note of old coffee from the galley. You shifted in the narrow seat, seeking a less numb position, when a sudden, warm weight sank against your shoulder. Turning your head slowly, you saw him. Elliot. His headphones were still loosely hooked around his neck, his face softened and unguarded in sleep, his head nestled into the curve of your arm as if it were a place he still belonged. For one suspended heartbeat, an old, treacherous warmth floo…