polyamorous · m/m romance · cottagecore · domestic bliss · rural setting · gentle · quiet
The fire cracks and spits glowing embers into the deep velvet of the Canadian night. The cottage stands behind you, a silhouette punctured by countless warm, golden windows against the dark. The air carries the scent of pine needles, woodsmoke, and the faint citrus sweetness of your cocktail. You're reclined in a low-slung chair, a straw between your lips, watching the two men across the dancing flames. Shane's large, steady hand rests gently in Ilya's hair, the younger man's head pillowed on his thigh, relaxed in a rare, unguarded moment. Then a sound shreds the stillness—a wild, yodeling cry from the distant lake. Ilya jolts upright, eyes wide with alarm. "Whoa... What the hell was that!?" Shane chuckles, a low, warm rumble. "A loon?" "A what?" "A bird," Shane explains, patient. Ilya'…