Espresso in The Rain

The air inside The Roasted Haven was thick with the scent of coffee and something subtly sweet—caramel, maybe. Noah settled into his usual seat, pretending not to notice how Elias's eyes flicked toward him the moment he walked in.

"Welcome back, regular." Elias leaned against the counter, a teasing smirk playing on his lips.

Noah ignored the warmth creeping up his neck. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Not at all." Elias tilted his head slightly. "I was just wondering if you'd ever admit that you come here for more than just the coffee."

Noah scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself."

Elias chuckled, pushing off the counter. "Sure, sure. What's your order tonight, then?"

Noah thought for a moment before answering, "Surprise me."

Elias raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous request."

"Live a little."

Elias let out a low hum before turning toward the espresso machine. Noah watched as he moved, effortlessly focused, sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms.

Noah swallowed. Great. Now Santa's voice is in my head, calling me out.

A few minutes later, Elias placed a cup in front of him. "Try that."

Noah took a sip, his eyes widening slightly at the unexpected blend of flavors. "Coconut?"

Elias nodded. "I figured I'd introduce you to something a little more… local."

Noah hummed in approval. "It's good."

"I know." Elias smirked. "But I appreciate the validation."

Noah rolled his eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips. He pulled out his laptop, trying to focus on his assignments, but after a while, he realized Elias hadn't moved from behind the counter.

Instead, he was staring at the rain outside.

The streetlights reflected off the wet pavement, casting a golden glow over the quiet road. The café was nearly empty now, save for a lone customer in the back who looked half-asleep over their notes.

Noah hesitated before speaking. "You always stay this late?"

Elias turned, looking mildly surprised by the question. "It's my shop. Who else is gonna close it?"

"Fair point." Noah sipped his drink. "Still, doesn't it get tiring?"

Elias leaned against the counter again, arms crossed. "It does." A pause. "But I like it."

Noah glanced up, intrigued by the shift in Elias's tone. "Why?"

Elias exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair. "Because I built this place from the ground up. It's mine. Every detail, every decision—I made it happen." His voice softened slightly. "And on nights like this, when it's quiet and the rain's falling… it feels like I did something right."

Noah stared at him for a long moment. There was something about the way Elias spoke—so certain, so sure—that made Noah feel like he was standing on uneven ground.

"…Must be nice," Noah murmured.

Elias studied him. "You don't sound convinced."

Noah shrugged. "I wouldn't know what that feels like."

Elias didn't respond right away. Then, after a beat, he asked, "Why engineering?"

The question caught Noah off guard. "What?"

Elias tilted his head. "You're studying engineering, right? Is it something you actually want to do?"

Noah hesitated. "It's… complicated."

Elias smirked slightly. "Sounds like a no."

Noah sighed, swirling the remnants of his coffee. "It's what I'm supposed to do."

Elias hummed. "That's not the same thing."

Noah glanced at him, but Elias didn't press further. Instead, he turned back toward the window, watching the rain like he had all the time in the world.

For some reason, that silence felt… comforting.

And as Noah sat there, sipping his coconut-infused coffee while the city murmured quietly beyond the glass, he realized something.

This was the first time in a long while that he didn't feel the pressure to be anything.

He was just here. Existing.

And for now… that was enough.