Espresso in The Rain

The air inside The Roasted Heaven felt heavier than usual. Noah sat at the corner table, stirring his coffee absentmindedly, his gaze fixed on the rain trickling down the glass window. It had been days since the tension between him and Elias started to build—small, almost imperceptible shifts in their interactions, moments of hesitation where there used to be ease.

Elias was behind the counter, working the espresso machine, but his usual grace seemed slightly off. His jaw was tense, his shoulders rigid. Even when he turned to pass a cup to a customer, there was a distance in his expression, like he was somewhere else entirely.

Noah hated it.

He wanted to ask, to push, to demand why Elias was suddenly pulling away—but every time he tried, Elias brushed it off with a tired smile and a kiss that didn't quite linger the way it used to.

"Hey," Santa slid into the seat across from him, tilting her head in concern. "You look like you're about to set something on fire with your mind."

Noah exhaled sharply. "I wish I could. It'd be easier than figuring out what the hell is going on with Elias."

Santa frowned, glancing over her shoulder at the man in question. "He does seem… off. Did you guys fight?"

"Not exactly." Noah ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "But something's wrong. He's been avoiding conversations about his past, about his work before The Roasted Heaven. I feel like he's hiding something, and I don't understand why."

Santa tapped her fingers against the table, thoughtful. "Maybe it's not about you. Maybe he's dealing with something on his own."

"Then why won't he talk to me?" Noah bit his lip, frustration laced in his voice. "If we're really in this together, why is he shutting me out?"

Santa sighed. "Maybe he's scared."

Noah's chest tightened at the thought. He had been so focused on his own feelings—on how much he hated the distance between them—that he hadn't stopped to think about what Elias might be going through.

Just then, the bell above the café door chimed, and Perth walked in, shaking the rain off his jacket. He spotted Elias and made his way to the counter, exchanging quiet words with him.

Noah watched closely. Perth was one of the few people Elias confided in, but whatever they were talking about seemed serious. He could see the tension in Elias' posture, the way his hands clenched briefly at his sides.

Then, before Noah could even think, Elias' gaze lifted—and for the briefest moment, their eyes met.

And in that split second, Noah knew.

Something was about to break.