When We Were Us [BxB]

Summer

The midday sun hung low in the clear, blue sky, casting a golden hue over the quiet streets of São João. It was the kind of afternoon that seemed frozen in time—still, warm, and almost unreal. The sleepy little town had slowed to a crawl, with only the sound of the ocean breeze dancing through the palm trees and the faint hum of cicadas to remind anyone that life was still moving. Even the cobblestone roads, usually dotted with beachgoers and kids on bikes, were empty, save for the occasional stray dog sniffing lazily at the edge of a beach hut.

Lucas walked barefoot down one of the narrow streets that led to the beach, his sandals dangling in his hand. Each step on the warm pavement felt familiar, like a memory he could reach out and touch. This was his town, his home. But after three years at university, it felt a little different now—smaller, quieter, like the world outside had grown too fast while São João had stayed exactly the same.

He made his way to the place he and Matheus had always met—their secret spot, hidden from the tourists, tucked between two rocky outcrops that shielded a small strip of beach from view. It had been their haven for as long as Lucas could remember, the backdrop to countless summers of swimming, laughing, and long talks that stretched late into the night.

Lucas arrived first, as he always did, and took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the familiar scent of saltwater and sand. He dropped his sandals in the sand and stood there, letting the ocean breeze cool the sweat on his skin. It had been a long year—grueling classes, never-ending papers, and the slow, creeping realization that adulthood was just around the corner. But standing here, on this beach, all of that seemed far away.

A voice broke through the sound of the waves. "Last one in the water's gotta buy dinner."

Lucas turned, spotting Matheus coming down the path with a grin on his face. His dark curls were longer than the last time Lucas had seen him, tousled by the wind in that effortless way that always made him look like he belonged on the cover of a magazine. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt that showed off the definition in his arms, and his sun-kissed skin glistened under the afternoon light.

"That's a deal you'll lose," Lucas called back, but his voice cracked slightly. There was something about seeing Matheus again, after so many months apart, that made him feel...off balance.

Before Lucas could say another word, Matheus took off running, laughing as he sprinted toward the ocean, kicking up sand behind him. Lucas shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. He couldn't resist. He never could.

He chased after Matheus, the cool breeze whipping past his face, the sound of their laughter mingling with the crash of the waves. Matheus reached the water first, throwing himself into the surf with a dramatic leap. Lucas stopped just short of the shoreline, watching as Matheus resurfaced, shaking water from his hair, his laughter echoing across the empty beach.

For a moment, Lucas stood frozen, watching Matheus. The way the sunlight glinted off his wet skin, the way his laughter lit up his face—it stirred something in Lucas, something he didn't want to name. Not yet.

"You're getting slow," Matheus teased, running his hands through his soaked curls as he waded toward the shore.

"Or maybe you're just too fast," Lucas shot back, though his voice sounded distant even to his own ears. He walked into the water, the coolness a welcome relief against the heat, and joined Matheus. They stood there, side by side, staring out at the horizon as the waves lapped against their legs.

After a while, Matheus spoke, his voice softer. "I missed this. Being here. With you."

Lucas glanced at him, his heart doing an odd little flip in his chest. Matheus wasn't looking at him, though—his gaze was fixed on the water, his expression thoughtful. There was a weight to his words, a heaviness that Lucas didn't know how to respond to.

"Yeah," Lucas said quietly. "Me too."

The silence between them felt different this time. It wasn't uncomfortable, exactly. Just...charged, like there was something unspoken hanging in the air. Lucas felt his pulse quicken, a strange awareness creeping over him. The way Matheus's arm brushed against his as they stood in the water, the way their laughter seemed to hang in the air a moment longer than it used to. It was subtle, but it was there.

Lucas dug his toes into the sand beneath the water, trying to anchor himself to the moment. They had been friends for as long as he could remember—practically inseparable since childhood. But now, as they stood there in the fading sunlight, something had shifted.

"You ever think about what happens next?" Lucas asked suddenly, his voice breaking the quiet.

Matheus glanced at him, a small frown tugging at his lips. "What do you mean?"

Lucas shrugged, not sure how to put it into words. "After this. After we graduate. What happens then?"

Matheus's frown disappeared, replaced by a lazy smile. "Why worry about that now? We've got all summer." He gestured toward the water, his eyes bright with that same carefree energy Lucas had always admired.

Lucas nodded, but the question lingered in his mind. He couldn't help but wonder if Matheus ever thought about it—if he ever wondered what might happen to them, to their friendship, after they left this place for good.

The conversation shifted after that, moving into easier topics—old stories, shared memories, plans for their final year at university. But even as they laughed and joked, Lucas couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed.

As the sun began to sink lower in the sky, casting everything in a warm, orange glow, Matheus stood up and brushed the sand from his shorts. "Come on," he said, extending a hand to Lucas. "One last swim before the sun goes down."

Lucas hesitated for a moment, then took Matheus's hand. The warmth of his touch sent a familiar jolt through Lucas's chest, one that left him breathless. They ran toward the water together, the waves crashing against their legs as they waded deeper into the ocean.

As they swam, Lucas stole a glance at Matheus, watching as his friend dove beneath the waves, his movements graceful and sure. There was something about the way Matheus moved, the way the light played across his skin, that made Lucas's heart race. And in that moment, as he watched Matheus emerge from the water, shaking the droplets from his hair, Lucas felt the weight of everything he hadn't been willing to admit.

It hit him all at once: the way he looked at Matheus, the way his heart quickened every time their hands brushed, the way his thoughts always seemed to drift back to him, no matter how hard he tried to push them away.

He had been in love with Matheus for as long as he could remember.

The realization settled over him like a wave, crashing into him with the force of everything he had been trying to ignore. And as Matheus turned to him, laughing, his eyes shining with the light of the setting sun, Lucas knew that nothing would ever be the same again.