My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 113: Maybe Surprises Aren’t So Bad

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘❦✾❦∘∙⊱⋅•-

I opened my eyes, and my breath hitched.

Everything inside me went totally still as I took in the sight before me.

We were at the edge of a cliff I didn’t even know existed, looking out over Willow Haven. The city below was bathed in this warm, golden glow, the sun just starting to sink behind the skyline. From up here, all the noise and chaos of life seemed so tiny and peaceful, almost like someone had painted it just for us.

A cool, gentle breeze brushed against my cheeks, carrying the faint scent of pine mixed with something sweet—maybe berries. My breath caught again as my gaze drifted downward.

Right in front of us was a big picnic blanket woven with soft, muted colors, deep green, cream, and warm brown. It was set up with a small feast that made my heart squeeze with delight:

A wicker basket overflowing with fresh pastries, glazed croissants, crisp at the edges, little jars of strawberry and peach jam, two tall thermoses...one marked hot cocoa, the other tea, a container of cut fruit arranged like a rainbow—watermelon, berries, pineapple, grapes,

And a small box tied with a ribbon, chocolates sitting in the center like a grand finale.

On one side were even blankets folded neatly, like he thought I might get cold.

I didn’t blame him, I always did complain about being cold.

"W–what... how...?" I stammered, unable to tear my eyes away from the setup. My voice felt tiny compared to the beauty in front of me. "Ethan... what is all this?"

He stepped around so he could watch my reaction clearly, rubbing the back of his neck like he was suddenly unsure of himself.

"You once told me," he said quietly, "that you always wanted to see the sunset from somewhere really high up... but that you didn’t like crowded spaces like restaurants." His gaze flicked to the city below and then back to me. "So I found a quiet spot."

A lump formed in my throat. I couldn’t even recall telling him that.

He smiled a bit, trying to downplay the effort he’d obviously put into this. "I got here early to set it all up. Nearly fell off the cliff twice, by the way. Totally worth it. I’m mostly glad that the animals hadn’t gotten to the food before we did."

I turned to him, feeling overwhelmed. "Ethan... this is—"

"Too much?" he asked, suddenly anxious. "Or not enough? I can go grab more food if you want—"

"No!" I blurted out, louder than I meant. My cheeks flushed. "I mean, it’s perfect. It’s... the most beautiful thing anyone’s ever done for me."

He relaxed a bit, that soft smile of his, the one that always made my heart feel warm...spreading across his face.

"Good," he murmured. "I wanted to make you smile like that."

For a moment, it felt like everything else faded away.

I stood there, mouth slightly open, just staring at the view—the burnt-orange sky dipping behind the skyline, the gentle wind weaving through the trees at the cliff’s edge, and the picnic he’d somehow arranged without me having a clue.

My throat tightened, and for a second, it felt hard to breathe. No one had ever gone this far for me before. Not even close.

"I, um..." Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, shifting awkwardly behind me like he didn’t know what to do with his hands. "I wasn’t sure how it would all turn out. I kinda guessed what food you’d want. And yeah, it’s a little cheesy, but—"

"Ethan..." I whispered, still unable to look away from the mesmerizing view. It felt surreal. Magical. Like I was dropped into the softest part of someone’s heart without warning.

He exhaled shakily and stepped beside me, his eyes on my face more than the skyline. "I started planning this before you went to Clearwater. I wanted to bring you here that weekend, but then you left and..." He shrugged a bit, his smile small and nervous. "I waited. I wanted you to share this with me. This is my favorite place in the world, and I—" His voice wavered for a moment. "I wanted to share it with you."

He nodded, cheeks a bit pink. "Yeah. So, uh... do you like it?"

"Like it?" The disbelief burst from me in a laugh, and suddenly, the emotions swirling inside had nowhere to go. "Ethan, I love it!"

And before I could second-guess myself or think about what any of this meant, I threw myself at him.

He barely had time to react before his arms wrapped around my waist, steady and warm, catching me like he’d been expecting this moment all along. I felt his laughter rumble through his chest as I clung to him, burying my face in the crook of his neck for a second to breathe him in and try to convince myself this was real.

"You’re unbelievable," I murmured against his shoulder, pulling back to look at him. "How did you even—this is... Ethan, it’s perfect."

He smiled then—one of those big, bright, heart-melting smiles that made the world feel lighter. "Good. I was hoping you’d say that. I really wanted today to be special."

My heart fluttered, warm and painfully full. And as the wind brushed through my hair and the city shimmered below us, I realized that maybe...just maybe—Ethan Seymour could be the kind of safe space I never thought I’d have.

I don’t know who moved first. One heartbeat we were still grinning like idiots, my hands bunched in the soft cotton of his hoodie, his arms locked loosely around my waist. The next heartbeat his gaze dropped to my mouth and the air between us went electric, like the sky itself had leaned in to listen.

Ethan’s hand slid up my spine, slow and sure, until his fingers tangled gently in my hair. He tilted my head back just enough and then his mouth was on mine.

The first touch was soft, almost careful, like he was afraid I’d vanish if he pressed too hard. But the moment I sighed against him, something in him snapped loose. His lips parted, warm and hungry, and the kiss turned deep and desperate in the space of a breath.

My fingers curled tighter into his hoodie, dragging him closer until there wasn’t an inch of space left between us. He made this low sound in the back of his throat (half groan, half prayer) and angled his head, kissing me harder, like he’d been starving for this exact moment for months. Maybe years.

The wind picked up, tugging at my hair, but I barely felt the cold. All I could feel was heat: his palm sliding to the small of my back, pressing me into him; the frantic thud of his heart hammering against my ribs; the way his other hand cradled my jaw like I was something priceless he was terrified of breaking.

I don’t know how long we stood there, drowning in each other while the sun bled orange and pink across the sky. All I know is I never wanted air again if it meant stopping this.

When we finally broke apart, just far enough to breathe, his forehead rested against mine. Both of us were shaking. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Jesus, Noah." he rasped, voice wrecked. His thumb traced my swollen bottom lip, eyes dark and dazed.

A laugh bubbled out of me, shaky and breathless. "You should’ve done it sooner."

"Yeah?" He smiled, small and crooked and so beautiful it hurt. "Consider me making up for lost time."

Then he kissed me again, slower this time, deeper, like we had all the time in the world and he planned to use every second of it proving I was worth waiting for.

And right there, with the city glowing soft and quiet below us and the sky catching fire above, I believed him.