—
*"Coffee, Rain & You"*
It was a rainy Saturday afternoon in a quiet corner of the city. Fortune sat by the window of her favorite café, watching raindrops race each other down the glass. A warm cup of vanilla latte rested between her hands, and soft jazz filled the room.
She loved days like this—peaceful, reflective. But today felt different, like something was about to shift.
The door chimed, and in walked someone new. He was tall, slightly drenched from the rain, with kind eyes and a lopsided smile. His name was Elias.
He ordered coffee, then scanned the room and spotted the only available seat—right across from Fortune.
"Mind if I sit?" he asked, shaking water off his umbrella.
"Not at all," she smiled.
What started as casual small talk turned into laughter, then shared stories, then long silences that felt warm instead of awkward. He loved poetry. She loved stargazing. They both had a soft spot for chocolate croissants.
As the rain poured, time melted. When the café closed, neither wanted to say goodbye.
"Same time tomorrow?" Elias asked, hope lighting up his eyes.
Fortune nodded, heart fluttering. "
—
*"Little Moments"*
The next day, Fortune arrived early, pretending not to check the door every five seconds. When Elias walked in, slightly less soaked this time, his smile was already familiar—and comforting.
They talked for hours. Days turned into weeks. Their café became their little universe—where worries paused, where smiles came easy.
One Sunday, Elias brought a tiny, worn notebook. "I write poems," he said, shyly. "But I've never shared them."
Fortune took it gently and read one. It was simple, but beautiful. One line stood out:
*"Some people are storms. She is the calm after."*
She looked up. "Is this about someone?"
His cheeks flushed. "It might be."
They began exploring the city—bookstores, quiet parks, rooftops. Once, during a late-night walk under fairy-lit streets, Elias reached for her hand. It fit perfectly.
They never said the word "love," but it floated in the air between them, soft and steady.
One night, as they watched stars from a hill, Elias finally asked, "Fortune… do you ever feel like something was
—
*: "The Pause Between Heartbeats"*
A few months had passed, and everything between Fortune and Elias felt like magic wrapped in the ordinary—sunsets on rooftops, inside jokes, long walks with fingers intertwined.
But one afternoon, something shifted.
Fortune was waiting at the café—15 minutes, then 30. No message. No call. It wasn't like him.
Just as worry set in, Elias rushed in, breathless, eyes apologetic.
"I'm so sorry," he said, placing his hand over hers. "Something came up… My mom's sick. I had to take her to the hospital."
Her heart softened. "You should've told me. I was worried."
"I know," he whispered. "I didn't want to bring the sadness here. This place, you… you feel like peace."
In the following weeks, Elias became quieter. Still sweet, still present—but different. Like his mind was elsewhere.
Fortune stayed close. She sent poems, brought his favorite pastries, showed up even when he didn't ask.
One day, he looked at her with tired eyes and said, "You don't have to carry this with me."
She leaned in. "Elias, I'm not carrying it *for* you. I'm walking *with* you."
Tears welled in his eyes. That was the moment he realized—this wasn't just love. This was real, grounded, patient love.
The kind that stays.
:
—
"A Thousand Tomorrows"*
Summer arrived slowly, with golden skies and softer days. Elias's mom was recovering, and laughter had returned to his voice. Fortune and Elias began dreaming again—of little road trips, new books to read, sunsets they hadn't seen yet.
One evening, they sat on the same hill where they'd shared their first kiss. The city lights flickered below like stars fallen to earth.
Elias pulled a small box from his pocket, hands trembling slightly.
Fortune's breath caught.
"It's not what you think," he said with a nervous laugh, opening it to reveal a tiny silver ring shaped like a star. "It's not a proposal. Not yet. But it *is* a promise."
She looked at him, eyes wide.
"I promise to choose you. On hard days, on quiet mornings, through storms and sunshine. This is my way of saying—every tomorrow I can have, I want it to have you in it."
Fortune blinked back tears and held out her hand. He slipped the ring onto her finger.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
"So are you," he said. "And this… whatever *this* is between us… it's the best part of my life."
They sat in silence, leaning into each other, the future stretched before them like an open sky—full of dreams, full of light, full of love.
—
"New Beginnings"*
The months that followed were filled with small adventures and quiet milestones. Fortune and Elias moved in together into a cozy apartment filled with books, plants, and sunlight spilling through big windows.
They learned the little things about each other—how Elias loved his coffee black, how Fortune hummed when she cooked, the way their hands naturally found each other on lazy Sunday mornings.
One chilly autumn evening, Elias planned a special surprise. After dinner, he led Fortune to the rooftop, now decorated with fairy lights and candles flickering in the cool breeze.
He pulled out a familiar little box, but this time his smile was steady, full of certainty.
"Fortune, you've been my calm, my storm, my laughter, and my home. Will you marry me?"
Tears shimmered as she nodded, "Yes, a thousand times yes."
They kissed beneath the stars, the city humming softly below, ready to write the rest of their story—together.
—love is a beautiful thing