"That was..." I started, searching for the right words. "I've never been that scared. Not since... I thought we might not make it out of there."

Alex looked at me, his gaze softer than I expected. "Same. I kept thinking, if it decides we're a threat, there's nothing we could do. We'd be..." He took a shaky breath. "And I couldn't stand the thought of... of losing you, Kai."

My heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice. I lifted my hand to his face, my fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "I know," I murmured, letting myself be honest for once. "I thought the same thing. I... don't think I could bear it if anything happened to you."

Alex's eyes flicked down to my lips, and suddenly the fear and tension from earlier melted into something deeper, warmer. I leaned in, pressing my lips to his, and felt a jolt of relief and belonging all at once. His hand slipped to my hair, pulling me close as our kiss deepened, urgent, and all of a sudden I felt the need to do something, anything, more intimate with Alex

I broke away, breathless, my forehead resting against Alex's. "We should... we should probably get out of here," I whispered, glancing around the dimly lit cavern where we'd taken refuge.

Alex nodded, his fingers still tangled in my hair. "Yeah, you're right. But Kai..." His voice was husky, sending shivers down my spine. "When we get back to camp, I want to continue this. If you want to, I mean."

My heart raced at the thought. "I do," I admitted, surprised by my own boldness. "I really do."

We made our way out of the cave system, hands intertwined, both hyper-aware of every brush of skin against skin. The trek back to our camp was silent, but charged with an electric anticipation that made every step feel like an eternity.

As soon as we reached the relative

safety of our campsite, Alex pulled me close again, his lips finding mine with an urgency that made my knees weak. I melted into him, my hands roaming over his shoulders and back, feeling the solid strength of him beneath my fingertips.

We stumbled towards the tent, unwilling to break apart even for a moment. As we fumbled with the zipper, I couldn't help but laugh softly against Alex's mouth. "We're making a mess of this," I murmured.

"Don't care," Alex growled, finally managing to get the tent open. He pulled me inside, and we collapsed onto our sleeping bags in a tangle of limbs.

For a moment, we just looked at each other, both panting slightly. The dim light filtering through the tent cast shadows across Alex's face, emphasizing the intensity in his eyes. I reached out, tracing the line of his collarbone with my fingertips. Alex shivered at my touch, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment.

"Kai," he whispered, his voice rough with desire. "Are you sure about this?"

I nodded, swallowing hard. "I've never been more sure of anything," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

That was all the encouragement Alex needed. He surged forward, capturing my lips in a searing kiss that left me breathless. His hands roamed my body, leaving trails of fire in their wake. I arched into his touch, desperate for more.

We shed our clothes hastily, hands fumbling with zippers and buttons. When we were finally skin to skin, I gasped at the sensation. Alex's body was warm and solid against mine, and I couldn't get enough.

Our movements became more urgent, more desperate. Alex's lips trailed down

my neck, eliciting a soft moan from my lips. I tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer. Every touch, every kiss, felt electric - like we were making up for all the time we'd wasted dancing around our feelings for each other.

Alex's hand slid down my side, coming to rest on my hip. He pulled back slightly, his eyes searching mine. "Is this okay?" he asked, his voice husky.

I nodded, unable to form words. Alex's touch was setting my skin on fire, awakening sensations I'd never felt before. I arched into him, silently begging for more.

He obliged, his fingers exploring further. I gasped at the intensity of it, my nails digging into his shoulders. Alex groaned, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

"Kai," he murmured against my skin. "

"Kai," he murmured against my skin. "You're incredible."

I shuddered at his words, overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through my body. Every touch, every caress felt amplified, as if my nerve endings were hypersensitive. I ran my hands down Alex's back, marveling at the feel of his muscles flexing beneath my fingertips.

Our movements became more frantic, more desperate. The air in the tent grew thick and heavy with our mingled breaths and soft moans. I clung to Alex, my anchor in a storm of sensation, as waves of pleasure washed over me.

When we finally came together, it was with a sense of rightness, of puzzle pieces clicking into place. Alex's eyes locked with mine, filled with an intensity that took my breath away. In that moment, I felt more connected to him than I ever had before.

Afterwards

Afterwards, we lay tangled together, our breathing slowly returning to normal. Alex's fingers traced lazy patterns on my skin, sending pleasant shivers through me. I nestled closer to him, relishing the warmth of his body against mine.

"That was..." I started, struggling to find words adequate to describe what we'd just shared.

"Yeah," Alex agreed, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "It was."

We fell into a comfortable silence, the only sound our steady breathing and the faint rustle of leaves outside the tent. I felt myself drifting, content and sated, when Alex spoke again.

"Kai?" His voice was soft, hesitant.

"Mm?" I mumbled, lifting my head to look at him.

Alex's eyes met mine, filled with an emotion I couldn't quite name. "I... I think I'm in love with you."

My heart

My heart skipped a beat at Alex's words. For a moment, I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Then a warmth bloomed in my chest, spreading through my entire body.

"Alex," I whispered, cupping his face in my hands. "I think I'm in love with you too."

The smile that spread across his face was radiant, lighting up his eyes. He pulled me closer, pressing his lips to mine in a kiss that was soft and sweet, full of promise.

When we broke apart, I couldn't stop smiling. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, a truth I'd been carrying for so long finally set free.

"How long?" I asked, curious.

Alex chuckled, his fingers playing with a strand of my hair. "Honestly? I think I've been falling for you since the day we met. But I didn't realize it until that moment that I thought I was going to lose you Kai, you're the light of my fucking world and if anything happened to you I don't know what I would do." I looked at him with a smirk "What about being there for your sister?" He looked at me with the most serious face I have ever seen on him, "She has Finn and our Grandpa Bob, I have you Kai, you are my world."

I felt my breath catch in my throat at Alex's words. The intensity of his gaze, the raw emotion in his voice - it was almost too much to bear. And yet, I couldn't look away.

"Alex," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I... I feel the same way. You're everything to me. I don't know when it happened, but somewhere along the way, you became my whole world too."

He pulled me closer if that was even possible, and I buried my face in the crook of his neck. I breathed in his scent - a mix of pine, sweat, and something uniquely Alex - and felt a sense of peace wash over me.

"We've wasted so much time," I murmured against his skin.

Alex's hand stroked down my back, soothing and electrifying all at once. "We have the rest of our lives Kai"