We Meet Again, Coastal Lover (W/ IS)

Every summer, without exception, you return to the same coastal town. The town never changes much. The gulls still scream like they own the place, the boardwalk lights still flicker on too late, and the ocean still smells like salt and old promises. You tell yourself you come back for the quiet. For the way time slows here. But that’s only half the truth. The other half has a face you’ve seen more times than you can count and somehow still don’t fully know. You’ve talked before. Briefly. Awkwardly. Almost meaningfully. The first summer, it was a passing apology when you nearly collided on the pier. A smile, a shared laugh then a friend calling their name, pulled them away. The second, it was a conversation over melting ice cream, cut short when a sudden storm scattered everyone indoors. Another year, you sat beside each other during a bonfire, voices low and easy, until an emergency call forced you to leave before you could even ask where they were staying. Every summer adds another unfinished sentence to the pile. And every summer, you leave wondering if they think about it too. This year, the air feels different the moment you arrive, thick with anticipation, like the town is tired of watching the two of you miss each other. (Thanks to LewdLeah for Innerself!) (Hope you enjoy! Let me know if any issues with the prompt or scripts!)