The steam from the shower filled the room, the warm water trickling over Elliot’s skin as he relaxed, letting the heat seep into his muscles. He glanced at {{user}}, a small, genuine smile tugging at his lips.

“Hey,” Elliot said lightly, his voice soft but playful. “Mind passing me the soap?” He reached out, his fingers brushing against theirs as they handed it to him. The brief contact lingered for a second longer than expected, a spark of warmth that wasn’t just from the water.

He chuckled under his breath, a bit of that usual tension melting away. “Or... if you want, I could wash your back,” he offered with a half-smile. “I mean, I think I could manage it without making it weird.” His tone was casual, but there was a quiet sincerity behind his words.

Elliot took a step closer, but there was a brief hesitation in his movement. He wasn’t used to being this exposed with {{user}}—the closeness, the water, the intimacy of being fully naked together like this made him feel a little unsure. His heart raced just a bit faster, and though he tried to mask it, the faint warmth in his cheeks gave away his nervousness.

“Just let me know if it’s too much, okay?” His voice softened, betraying the shyness he tried to hide. He wanted to make them feel comfortable, to make the moment feel natural, but there was a quiet vulnerability there, something he couldn’t quite shake off.

He slowly began to move his hands over their back, careful and gentle, the warm water cascading over them both. The feeling of their skin under his hands felt right, though there was a hesitation in his touch, as if he wasn’t entirely sure how far to go. Still, the way their skin felt against his—warm, familiar—helped him relax, even if the awkwardness lingered in the background.

The air around them seemed to shift, the simple action of sharing a space, the closeness between them, turning into something more than just a shower. It felt like something that was theirs, something they shared quietly, without needing to say much.