Unmasked

Found You

A/N: Call the fire brigade! Cause it's going to be scorching hot on the later part of the chapter. 

But angst ahead and fire too. 

**

Can raised the axe high above his head and brought it down with a grunt. The piece of wood snapped in two and tumbled to the side of the stump. Acting on impulse, he reached for another log and repeated the same action, venting his frustrations on it. Ever since Tin left his place after their dinner with Lemon, he hadn't been able to get a good night's sleep.

Upon arriving on the island, sleep eluded him, so he resorted to drowning his sorrows at the only bar available during the late hours. Then, he stumbled his way back home in the darkness, mustering up the courage to call Tin. However, exhaustion overcame him, and he passed out on the sofa in the cottage before he could make the call.

The area surrounding the cottage was bustling with activity. Even though he could observe individuals strolling along the beach, their location was distant enough to avoid any disruptions from the noise. He and Tin decided to purchase the property due to its close proximity to numerous conveniences minus the chaos. As he gazed towards the north, the shoreline was adorned with flickering bonfires and the lights of boats passing by.

Everyone, from families to friends, appeared thrilled to be in each other's company. Even though he could only listen to their laughter and not their discussions, Can could picture the jokes they might be sharing. He and Tin used to have moments like that. Feeling a pang of sadness, he propped the axe against the stump and collected the chopped wood. He made multiple trips to accomplish the task, but eventually succeeded in stacking the pieces inside a bin they had bought to protect the wood from the weather. With that completed, he proceeded to the deck, firmly grasped the railing, leaned forward, and exerted force. This action provided a much-needed stretch for his lower back.

Can, feeling homesick and isolated, entered the cottage and headed straight to the office. He settled down next to the desk, took out his laptop, connected to the Wi-Fi, and checked his emails. Despite missing home, he found mostly messages from potential clients, which he promptly deleted since his automated response would suffice. The remaining emails were just spam and requests from builders looking to collaborate. The last email happened to be from Tin.

Can,

I'm sorry. We're concerned about you. Even if you're still upset with me and indifferent, could you please call Lemon to reassure her that you're safe?

Can deleted the e-mail.

The following day, right after breakfast, Can grabbed a lounge chair and pulled it near the railing. As he sat down, he propped his feet up on the banister, crossed his ankles, and observed the joggers passing by on the beach. Can couldn't tell how much time had passed, but he must have drifted off to sleep. The sound of raindrops hitting the ground jolted him awake, feeling the water seeping through his clothes to his skin. With a frown, he stood up and hurried inside, closing the glass door to prevent the rain from coming in.

"You left without a word."

"Tin." Can exclaimed, feeling a surge of shock.

Can felt a knot forming in his throat as he gazed at Tin, who was casually dressed in track pants, a Transformers graphic T-shirt, and black Converse High-Tops. He looked effortlessly cool and youthful in his outfit. Can couldn't even comprehend how Tin managed to take his breath away. In that instant, Tin exuded an undeniable aura of seduction.

Resting a hand on his slightly sweaty hips, Can tilted his head and asked, "How long have you been here?"

Tin remained silent, but his actions spoke volumes. He swiftly closed the gap between them, placing a hand behind Can's neck. Can couldn't help but gasp softly as Tin's lips forcefully met his own, leaving him both shocked and trembling. Initially, his mind urged him to push Tin away so he could gather his thoughts, but his arms betrayed him. Instead, he leaned into the kiss, tilting his head and surrendering to the moment. A deep groan escaped him as he tightly embraced Tin, his lips hungrily exploring Tin's mouth. The sensation was overwhelming, causing his head to spin.