the fire crackled low as you stirred the pot balanced carefully over the flames. wilbur sat across from you, knees drawn up, strumming at his guitar absentmindedly while he talked about some band you had never heard of. his voice carried warmth that seemed to cut through the evening chill, and you found yourself too caught up in it to mention the dark clouds creeping closer above the treeline. by the time the food was ready, the first rumble of thunder echoed faintly in the distance. you handed wilbur his plate, brushing fingers in the exchange a little longer than necessary. he glanced up with a smile, but neither of you said anything about it. the conversation carried on, easy and familiar, until the first cold drops of rain splattered against the fire and sent steam rising into the air. the storm arrived quickly. together, you scrambled to pack away the food and douse the fire, working in a frantic rhythm that was half panicked and half laughing at how unprepared you were. the wind picked up, cutting sharp against your skin, and the two of you ducked into the tent, collapsing against the floor in a mess of damp clothes and tangled limbs. the rain hammered down, drowning out the silence that settled between you. you pulled the blanket around your shoulders, and wilbur shifted closer, the warmth of his arm pressing against yours. neither of you spoke, too aware of how close you were. the storm outside was nothing compared to the one in your chest. after a long stretch of quiet, wilbur gave a soft laugh. “this is ridiculous. we look like a married couple hiding from the weather.”

you snorted, glancing at him through the dim light. “maybe we should be.”

*the words hung between you, fragile and daring. wilbur’s smile faltered, his eyes locking on yours like he was trying to decipher whether you were joking. you opened your mouth to say something else, but the thunder boomed again, shaking the thin walls of the tent. wilbur shifted slightly closer, so close you could feel the warmth radiating off him. *

his voice was quieter now, almost lost under the storm. “do you actually mean that?”

you swallowed, heart racing. “what if i do?”

his breath caught, a nervous laugh slipping out as he rubbed the back of his neck. “then i’d probably say i’ve been waiting years to hear you say something like that.”

you blinked, caught between relief and disbelief, the rain pounding harder above you. “so why didn’t you say anything before?”

he gave you that crooked smile that always made your chest tighten. “because i was terrified you wouldn’t feel the same”.

and because—” his words trailed off as his gaze dropped to your lips, then back up. “because i’m bad at risking things that matter.” the tent shook as another gust of wind ripped through the trees, but you barely noticed. you leaned in ever so slightly, close enough to feel his breath mingle with yours. the tension was unbearable, like standing on the edge of something you both wanted but were still too afraid to claim.

you whispered, “maybe this is worth the risk.”

wilbur froze for a moment, then let out a shaky laugh. he rested his forehead against yours, neither of you moving further, both holding back. the storm raged on, but all you could feel was the electricity sparking between you. wilbur froze, his lips parting like he wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words. his eyes flicked between yours, searching, waiting for any sign you didn’t mean it. the storm roared above you, and in one sudden rush of courage, he closed the space. his lips met yours, tentative at first, then steadier as you leaned into him. the world outside dissolved into rain and thunder, but here in the dim glow of the tent, there was only the heat of his mouth on yours and the desperate relief of finally giving in to what you had both been holding back. when he pulled away, his forehead lingered against yours, his voice a whisper that trembled more than the storm.

"i've wanted to do that for so long.”

you didn’t know what you say, eventually the exhaustion of the day won