By the time they reached the cabin, the sky had settled into a deep blue, the last streaks of orange fading behind the mountains. It felt just like it had months ago—quiet, untouched, like they had stepped out of time entirely. The air was crisp, cooler than it had been the last time, but there was something comforting about it. Something that made Melina breathe a little easier.

Tucker parked the car and turned off the engine, but neither of them moved at first. They just sat there, letting the silence settle in, letting the weight of being back here sink in.

Melina glanced over at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "We really just came back to the same place, huh?"

Tucker turned to her, mirroring her smile. "Of course we did. It was either this or Vegas, and I feel like we'd be terrible at Vegas."

Melina laughed, reaching for the door handle. "I don't know, Sally and Tom might thrive there."

Tucker snorted. "Oh yeah, we'd get married at some drive-thru chapel. Full character commitment."

She pretended to consider it. "I do love a good bit."

Tucker rolled his eyes playfully. "Alright, come on, Sally." He grabbed their bags from the backseat while Melina walked up the short porch steps, rubbing her arms against the slight chill in the air.

The door creaked open, and the warmth of the untouched cabin wrapped around them instantly. It smelled the same—woodsy, a little dusty, but familiar. Melina stepped inside, her gaze drifting over everything. Nothing had changed, but it still felt different.

"I missed this place," she murmured, toeing off her boots.

Tucker dropped the bags and turned to look at her. "Yeah?"

She nodded, slowly. "Last time, it felt like a break. This time, it feels like..." She trailed off, searching for the right word.

"Like home?" he offered, watching her closely.

Her chest tightened in the best way. "Yeah."

A slow smile spread across his face, and without a word, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into him. She let out a surprised laugh, her hands automatically landing on his chest.

"Okay, birthday rules apply," he declared. "I get to pick the first thing we do."

Melina raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"

Tucker smirked. "Fireplace. Blankets. You in my hoodie."

She laughed, tilting her head up at him. "So...hibernation?"

"Exactly."

She shook her head but didn't argue. A few minutes later, she was curled up on the couch, practically drowning in one of his hoodies, while he tossed another log onto the fire. The warmth spread through the cabin, the flickering flames casting soft, golden light across the room.

Tucker plopped down beside her, sighing dramatically as he pulled her into his side. "Okay, now it's perfect."

Melina hummed, resting her head against his chest. "This is so different from last year."

Tucker tilted his head, looking down at her. "What do you mean?"

She traced little patterns against the fabric of his shirt absentmindedly. "Last year, we were in different places for your birthday. I sent you, like, the worst voice memo of me singing because I had no time to do anything else."

Tucker chuckled. "Yeah, and I played it on repeat for, like, a week."

Melina groaned. "God, I bet it was so off-key."

"It was perfect." He pressed a kiss to her hair, voice softer now. "But yeah...this year's a lot better."

Melina tilted her head back to look at him. "Best one yet?"

Tucker grinned. "Easily."

She smiled, nestling closer. They sat there, wrapped up in each other, listening to the fire crackle, to the wind outside, to the steady rhythm of each other's breathing.

And for the first time in weeks, there was nowhere else they needed to be.



---



The next morning, Melina woke up slowly, tangled in the blankets, the air cool against her skin despite the warmth of the fire that had burned low overnight. She blinked, the familiar scent of coffee and something sweet drifting into the room, coaxing her fully awake.

Tucker.

She smiled before she even opened her eyes. The soft sounds of him humming something off-key in the kitchen mixed with the occasional clatter of dishes, a rhythm of quiet chaos that was undeniably him.

Pushing the blankets aside, she padded down the hall, rubbing at her tired eyes as she made her way toward the scent of breakfast.

The sight that greeted her made her heart squeeze.

Tucker stood at the stove in his sweatpants and hoodie, hair still an absolute mess from sleep, flipping pancakes with all the confidence of someone who had no idea what they were doing. A half-empty cup of coffee sat on the counter beside him, and there was already a plate stacked with uneven pancakes—some golden, some slightly burnt.

Melina leaned against the doorframe, watching him for a second, the kind of moment she wanted to press between the pages of a book and keep forever.

"You're up early," she said, voice still laced with sleep.

Tucker turned, grinning. "Oh, good. You're awake. I was just about to come wake you up by throwing a pancake at your face."

She snorted, pushing off the doorframe. "So thoughtful of you."

"Always." He handed her a cup of coffee, watching as she took a careful sip before leaning in to press a slow, lazy kiss to her cheek. "Morning."

She hummed, still waking up. "You're being suspiciously sweet."

Tucker smirked, flipping another pancake onto the plate. "Well, maybe I just wanted to make you breakfast. Or... maybe I'm buttering you up because my birthday's in a few days, and I'm hoping you'll spoil me."

Melina raised an eyebrow, fighting back a smile. "You already know I have stuff planned."

Tucker leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "Yeah, but what if I need details? What if I'm so excited that I literally can't handle the suspense?"

She smirked. "Then that sounds like a you problem."

Tucker groaned dramatically, dragging a hand down his face. "You're the worst."

Melina just laughed, reaching for a plate and stacking some pancakes onto it. "And yet...?"

Tucker sighed, shaking his head with an exaggerated frown. "And yet, I am helplessly in love with you."

Her breath caught for a second—not because it was new, not because she didn't know it already, but because of how easy he said it. No hesitation. No second-guessing. Just truth.

She let the warmth settle in her chest before setting her plate down and stepping closer, slipping her arms around his waist. "Lucky for you... I kinda love you too."

Tucker grinned, kissing the top of her head. "Kinda?"

Melina smirked, grabbing her fork and taking a bite of her pancake. "I mean, depends on how good these pancakes are."

He gasped, feigning betrayal. "Wow."

She giggled, nudging him playfully. "I'm kidding. You're safe. For now."

They ate together at the small table, wrapped in that quiet, comfortable kind of love—the kind that didn't need to be loud to be felt. Outside, the sky was still gray, the trees swaying gently in the wind. It was the perfect kind of day for doing nothing at all.

After breakfast, Tucker leaned back in his chair, watching her. "So. What's on the agenda for today, Sally?"

Melina tilted her head, considering. "Tom and Sally could go on an adventure..."

Tucker nodded seriously. "Or... Tom and Sally could stay in their cozy little cabin and do absolutely nothing."

She laughed. "You just want an excuse to stay in pajamas all day."

Tucker smirked, sipping his coffee. "I might be the world's biggest homebody, yeah."

Melina pretended to think about it, then nodded. "Okay. Let's do it. But only if you help me bake cookies."

Tucker's face lit up. "Oh, hell yeah. I got this."

He absolutely did not have this.

It became apparent within five minutes that Tucker's "help" mostly involved making a mess. Flour on the counter. Chocolate chips scattered everywhere. At one point, he tried cracking an egg with one hand just to "see if he could," and it ended with egg yolk dripping between his fingers.

Melina doubled over laughing while he held up his hand in defeat. "Okay, so maybe not my best idea."

Eventually, the cookies (somehow) made it into the oven, and they collapsed onto the couch while they baked. A movie played in the background, but neither of them were really paying attention. Melina curled into Tucker's side, his arm draped lazily around her shoulders as he absentmindedly played with the sleeve of her hoodie.

The rain had started outside, a soft, steady rhythm against the windows. The whole world felt smaller in that moment, quieter. Just the two of them, tangled up in warmth, nowhere else to be.

Tucker pressed a kiss to the top of her head, voice quiet when he said, "Best trip yet?"

Melina smiled, tracing small circles against the back of his hand. "Easily."

And honestly? She had to agree.