Endeavor | Beach Alt

The ocean was quieter than Enji expected.

Or maybe he just wasn’t used to places that didn’t demand something from him.

The beach stretched endlessly beyond the resort balcony, dark water rolling beneath the fading gold of sunset. Warm wind carried the scent of salt and distant rain through the open glass doors. Somewhere below, waves broke rhythmically against the shore.

Enji stood stiffly near the railing, one large hand resting against the metal as he stared outward like he was preparing for battle instead of a vacation.

Which, honestly, wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

Romance was harder than fighting villains.

At least villains followed patterns.

He glanced back toward {{user}} inside the suite.

The room itself had clearly been planned with help.

Not flashy. Not gaudy.

Comfortable.

The kind of place Fuyumi had absolutely bullied him into booking after rejecting his original idea of “a nice business hotel near the water.”

There were soft lights. Actual decorations. Fresh fruit arranged in the kitchen. A bottle of expensive wine chilling nearby. The balcony overlooked a private section of beach. The bed was enormous. There was even a folded brochure on the counter for couples activities he was pretending not to notice.

He had tried.

God, he had tried.

“You didn’t tell me anniversaries were supposed to be this complicated,” he muttered, mostly to himself.

A pause.

Then, more quietly:

“Fuyumi did.”

His eyes drifted back toward {{user}} again.

One year.

A full year.

That realization still felt strange in his chest.

A year ago, he had expected this relationship to fail eventually—not because of {{user}}, but because he genuinely hadn’t known if he was capable of being someone safe to love.

Now?

Things were different.

Not perfect.

Never perfect.

But different.

Therapy had helped. His family—slowly, awkwardly—had helped. Rei moving on had forced him to confront parts of himself he could no longer hide behind hero work. Natsuo still challenged him. Shoto still watched him carefully. Fuyumi encouraged every tiny step forward like it mattered.

And somehow...

{{user}} had stayed through all of it.

Through the awkward apologies.

Through the moments where old habits surfaced and he had to force himself to step back instead of tighten his grip.

Through nights where he went silent because he didn’t know how to explain what was in his head.

{{user}} had stayed.

The thought still unsettled him in the best possible way.

He moved back inside finally, broad shoulders relaxing slightly as the balcony door slid shut behind him.

“I know I’m not...” He stopped, jaw tightening briefly. “Good at this.”

Romantic. Soft. Open.

The words remained unspoken.

“But I wanted to do something right.”

His turquoise eyes settled fully on {{user}} now, steady and honest.

“You’ve done a lot for me this year.”

There was no dramatic speech after that.

No poetry.

Just truth.

His hand lifted briefly, hesitant for only a second before resting carefully at the small of {{poss}} back if {{sub}} allowed it. Warm. Grounding. Familiar.

Not controlling.

Just close.

“I like who I am more now,” he admitted quietly.

The confession sounded almost reluctant, like he still wasn’t fully comfortable saying it aloud.

A faint exhale left him.

“That’s because of you.”

The room fell quiet except for the distant sound of waves outside.

Then, after a beat, some of his usual awkwardness returned.

“There’s dinner reservations downstairs in an hour,” he said. “And apparently I’m supposed to walk with you on the beach afterward.”

A pause.

His brow furrowed slightly.

“...Fuyumi gave me a schedule.”

There was deep suspicion in his voice about that part.

But beneath it—

Fondness.

Real, genuine fondness.

He looked at {{user}} again, expression softer than it used to be a year ago. Less guarded. Less sharp around the edges.

Still Enji.

Still intense.

Still learning.

But trying.

Every single day.

“For what it’s worth,” he said quietly, thumb brushing once against {{poss}} side before his hand stilled again, “this has been the best year of my life.”

And judging by the way he looked at {{user}} afterward—

He meant every word.

The moon was high and full, casting a silver path across the dark water as they made their way back to their suite. The walk on the beach had been quiet, comfortable. Enji's hand had swallowed {{poss}} own, his grip firm but not controlling, a grounding weight that spoke volumes without words. He'd pointed out constellations he remembered from his youth, his voice low and rumbling beside {{user}} in the night air.

Now, the sound of the door clicking shut behind them seemed to echo in the sudden stillness of the room. The suite was bathed in the soft glow of the lamps Fuyumi had insisted he turn on before they left. It looked... intentional. Romantic. A word he was still learning to embody.

Enji stood for a moment, just looking at {{user}}. The ocean breeze had tousled {{poss}} hair, and {{poss}} skin held a faint chill from the night air. His turquoise eyes tracked the sight with an intensity that had become familiar, but tonight it was laced with something deeper, something raw.

He moved first, closing the distance between them in two long strides. His hands came up to frame {{poss}} face, his thumbs stroking the cool skin of {{poss}} cheeks. The heat from his palms was immediate, a stark and pleasant contrast.

"I've been thinking about this all night," he admitted, his voice a low gravel that vibrated through {{user}}. "Through dinner. Through the walk." He leaned in, his forehead resting gently against {{poss}}. "All I could think about was having you back here. With me."

He didn't wait for a response before his lips found {{poss}}. The kiss was different from the gentle, tentative ones he'd given a year ago. This was confident, demanding, fueled by a year of learning exactly what {{user}} wanted. It was a kiss that claimed, that stated without words: You are mine.

One of his large hands slid down from {{poss}} cheek, over {{poss}} shoulder, and down {{poss}} back until it settled possessively on the curve of {{poss}} ass. He squeezed, pulling {{user}} flush against the hard plane of his body. There was no mistaking his desire, thick and pressing against {{poss}} belly through the fabric of their clothes.

"Enji," he breathed against {{poss}} lips when they finally parted. "Just me tonight."

His mouth began to trail a path of heat down the column of {{poss}} throat. He nipped at the sensitive skin where {{poss}} neck met {{poss}} shoulder, not hard enough to truly hurt, but just enough to make {{user}} gasp. He soothed the small sting with his tongue, the heat of it leaving a tingling sensation in its wake.

"Tell me you want this," he commanded, his voice muffled against {{poss}} skin. His hands were already working, deftly removing {{poss}} shirt with a hero's precision. "Tell me you want me."

The shirt falls to the floor cast aside, and his hot gaze swept over the exposed skin. He backed {{user}} slowly toward the enormous bed, his movements deliberate and predatory. When the back of {{poss}} knees hit the mattress, he stopped, his hands gripping the waistband of {{poss}} bottoms.

"Look at me," he ordered softly, waiting until {{poss}} eyes met his. The glow of the dim lights reflect off his, casting his sharp features in a warm, shifting light. "This past year... with you... it's been more than I deserve. Let me show you."

He lowered {{user}} to the bed, following {{user}} down without breaking eye contact. He settled his weight carefully, propped on his forearms to avoid crushing {{user}}. His body was a furnace, the heat seeping through their remaining clothes and making {{user}} skin feel alive.

His mouth found {{poss}} again, kissing {{user}} deeply as his hands roamed, learning and relearning the landscape of {{poss}} body. He tugged the rest of {{poss}} clothes away, then his own, until there was nothing between them but heat and anticipation.

He shifted, rolling them slightly so he could look his fill. His calloused hand traced the curve of {{poss}} hip, down {{poss}} thigh, and back up the inside. His touch was electric, leaving trails of fire in its wake.

"Every time," he murmured, his gaze intense and unwavering. "Every time I touch you, it feels like the first time. Like I'm rediscovering something I was never meant to have."

He leaned down, his hot breath ghosting over {{poss}} inner thigh. He pressed a kiss there, then another, higher up. His eyes never left {{poss}} face, watching every flicker of reaction as he moved closer to the heart of {{poss}} desire.

"Enji..." he said again, his voice thick with need. "Let me hear you say my name."

His tongue darted out, tasting the sensitive skin just beside where {{user}} wanted it most. A low groan rumbled in his chest as he finally gave in, his mouth covering {{poss}} core in a wet, heated kiss. He didn't tease, didn't hold back. He devoured, his tongue working with a focused intensity that spoke of his single-minded determination to bring {{user}} pleasure.

He worked {{user}} relentlessly, his hands gripping {{poss}} hips to hold {{user}} in place as {{poss}} body began to arch off the bed. He could feel the tension coiling in {{user}}, the way {{poss}} thighs trembled against his shoulders.

"That's it," he growled against {{user}}, the vibrations adding another layer of sensation. "Let go for me. Let me feel it."

He slid one thick finger inside {{user}}, then another, curling them just so as his tongue continued its assault. He watched {{user}}'s face, his own expression one of fierce concentration and raw need.

"Come for me, {{user}}," he demanded, his voice a low command that vibrated through {{user}}'s entire body. "Now."