Espresso in The Rain

Noah sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers gripping the sheet loosely as the morning light filtered through the curtains. The scent of coffee drifted through the small apartment, but he wasn't sure if it was coming from the café downstairs or Elias brewing something in the kitchen.

Either way, he wasn't ready to move just yet.

His body ached—not unpleasantly—but it wasn't just the remnants of last night that had him tense. It was everything after.

The way Elias had held him.

The way he had whispered stay.

The way Noah had.

It should have been simple, waking up in Elias' arms. But it wasn't. Because every moment that passed, the weight of what they had done, of what this meant, pressed down on him.

He had never let himself have something like this before. Never let himself want something like this.

And now that he had it, he wasn't sure what to do with it.

"Overthinking already?"

Noah flinched slightly at the sound of Elias' voice. He turned to find the man leaning against the doorway, a steaming cup in his hand, watching him with that unreadable gaze of his.

"I wasn't overthinking," Noah muttered, running a hand through his hair.

Elias smirked, stepping closer. "Liar."

Noah huffed, looking away, but his pulse betrayed him when Elias set the cup down on the nightstand and leaned in, caging Noah in with his arms.

"Tell me what's on your mind," Elias murmured.

Noah swallowed. "I just…" He hesitated, then exhaled. "I don't know how to do this."

Elias tilted his head. "Do what?"

Noah gestured vaguely between them. "This."

Elias studied him for a long moment before reaching out, his fingers tracing a slow line down Noah's arm. "Then don't overthink it," he said simply. "Just stay. Just be here."

Noah bit his lip, torn between wanting to listen to that easy confidence and the nagging voice in his head telling him it wasn't that simple.

But when Elias leaned in, brushing his lips softly against Noah's, something in him melted.

And for now, he let himself believe it could be.