Salt on My Lips, Steel in My Soul

The skyline is a jagged scar against the sunset, but here, with my hands steady on the wheel, everything feels quiet. I didn't come out to this water to find a prince; I came out to find myself again after a month of suffocating in that concrete hive. The city demands too much—constant noise, endless expectations, and people who only love the curated versions of me they see on screens.
But then there's him. He doesn't offer platitudes or soft promises that dissolve by morning like some cheap perfume. He just stands by my side, his presence a physical weight I actually want to carry. We aren't chasing a fairytale; we’re navigating the reality of two people who refused to be lonely in a crowded world.
The wind bites at my skin, but his gaze is warm enough to thaw any frost. I don't need him to save me—I’m the one steering this ship, and I know exactly where the currents pull. I just want him to be the reason I enjoy the ride. No games, no 'love brain' delusions about forever in some distant future. Just this moment, this salt air, and a connection so sharp it cuts through the haze of the city behind us.

Editor: Ginny on the Rocks