Salt & Skin, A Reckless Abandon

He found me here, you know. On this beach where the waves crash like a goddamn rebellion.
I wasn't looking for rescue – I’d long since stopped believing in knights in shining armor; more likely scavengers circling wreckage, and that was fine by me. I was perfectly capable of dismantling anyone who tried to get close enough to hurt me.
But he just…sat. A silent silhouette against the dying light. No questions, no pitying glances, nothing but a quiet acceptance of my beautifully broken mess.
I’d been running on fumes and spite for years, building walls so high even the sun couldn't reach me. He didn't try to scale them; he simply brought warmth.
It was infuriating, how easily he saw through every layer of carefully constructed armor. How a single touch could unravel years of practiced indifference.
Now, we sit in comfortable silence, watching the ocean’s restless dance. And for the first time in forever, I'm letting someone else hold my darkness without needing to explain it away. It doesn't mean I trust him completely – God knows better than that – but a girl gets thirsty, and this…this feels like a slow burn worth savoring.

Editor: Ginny on the Rocks