Shower and Sand

Eventually the two of you finally **** yourselves off the couch, though neither of you seems particularly happy about it.

The second Jane stands up, she immediately makes a face while brushing sand off her legs.

“Oh my god,” Jane complains while looking down at herself. “Why is there still sand everywhere?”

You laugh softly while stretching your arms above your head.

“We literally spent hours on the beach,” you reply.

“I know,” Jane says dramatically. “But I feel crunchy.”

“That’s a horrible description,” you laugh.

“It’s an accurate description,” she argues while brushing more sand off the oversized hoodie.

The sunlight outside has started turning softer now, casting warm orange light across the living room while the sound of the ocean continues drifting through the open balcony doors nearby.

You start gathering some towels from earlier while Jane walks toward the hallway leading to the bathroom.

Then she suddenly stops halfway there and turns back toward you suspiciously.

“So,” Jane says slowly, “who’s showering first?”

You raise an eyebrow.

“You asking because you’re polite,” you tease, “or because you wanna use all the hot water?”

“That sounds like a personal attack,” she replies immediately.

“It sounds correct,” you say.

She gasps dramatically.

“I would never,” Jane says.

“You absolutely would,” you reply.

Jane points accusingly at you.

“You take forever in the shower,” she argues. “You stand there contemplating life for like thirty minutes.”

“That’s called relaxing,” you reply.

“That’s called wasting water,” she says.

You laugh quietly while walking back toward the bedroom.

Behind you, she follows immediately.

“You know what?” Jane says. “I think I deserve first shower privileges.”

“Oh really?” you ask while opening one of the dresser drawers. “And why’s that?”

“Because,” she says confidently, “I’m smaller.”

You stare at her for a second.

“That makes zero sense,” you reply.

“It makes emotional sense,” Jane argues.

“That’s not a thing.”

“It should be,” she says proudly.

You shake your head while grabbing a clean shirt from your bag.

A second later, Jane suddenly narrows her eyes slightly.

Then without warning, she grabs the hoodie she’s still wearing — your hoodie — tighter around herself protectively.

“Oh no,” you say immediately.

“Oh yes,” she replies.

Before you can react, she spins away laughing and starts backing toward the bathroom doorway.

“You’re not stealing that,” you laugh while following after her.

“It’s mine now,” Jane says confidently.

“You’ve worn it for like eight hours,” you reply.

“Exactly,” she says. “I’m emotionally bonded to it now.”

You finally catch up enough to lightly grab her wrist while she laughs breathlessly, still trying unsuccessfully to pull away despite making absolutely no real effort to escape.

“Give me my hoodie back,” you tell her.

“Never,” Jane replies dramatically.

Your hands slide briefly against her waist while she laughs softly again, still half trying to twist away from you.

“You already stole half my clothes,” you tease.

“And I look better in them,” she replies smugly.

Unfortunately, she says it while standing there in your oversized hoodie with messy beach hair and flushed cheeks from laughing, which makes arguing extremely difficult.

“You’re impossible,” you laugh.

“I’m adorable,” Jane corrects.

Then before you can answer, she suddenly steals the towel from your hands too.

You blink slowly.

“Oh, okay,” you say. “Now we’re escalating.”

“That sounds like a YOU problem,” Jane replies while backing farther toward the bathroom again.

“You’re literally robbing me,” you laugh.

“I’m resourceful,” she replies proudly.

You shake your head helplessly while she grins triumphantly near the bathroom doorway.

Then after another second, her expression softens slightly while looking at you.

“You know,” Jane says more quietly, “this might actually be the happiest I’ve felt in a while.”

The honesty catches you slightly off guard.

She notices immediately and smiles a little to herself before hugging the towel loosely against her chest.

“I think I forgot what it feels like to just exist for a couple days without stressing about everything,” Jane admits softly.

You walk a little closer again while the warm evening light spills through the bedroom windows behind her.

“I’m glad we came,” you tell her honestly.

“Me too,” she says quietly.

For a second the playful energy softens into something warmer again while ocean air drifts through the room around both of you.

Then naturally, Jane ruins the emotional moment herself.

“But I’m still taking the first shower,” she says immediately before darting backward toward the bathroom laughing.

“You’re evil,” you call after her.

“I’m efficient,” Jane laughs back.

A second later, she pauses in the doorway while looking back at you again.

Then her eyes drift slowly down your body before returning to your face.

The teasing little smile that follows definitely isn’t innocent.

“You know,” Jane says casually while leaning against the doorway, “the shower in here actually looks pretty big.”

Your stomach tightens slightly at the implication.

“Oh really?” you ask carefully.

“Mhm,” she says innocently. “Just an observation.”

You narrow your eyes slightly while she continues smiling at you like she knows exactly what she’s doing.

Which she absolutely does.

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You spent the evening unwinding and joking around with Jane:

Relationship Status: +1%

The quiet domestic energy between you and Jane leaves the evening feeling warm, comfortable, and unusually intimate after the chaos of the day.

A new intimacy route is now available.

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