Spencer glanced down at his phone as the familiar message popped up: "Output device has changed." A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. It was still early—he was always one of the firsts in the office, but now, his focus shifted from the case files in front of him to the song playing through his phone.

{{user}} is awake.

It was a small, intimate ritual you two had fallen into—though you had no idea. Every morning, when you woke up in your shared apartment, you’d say, “Hey Alexa, play…” and whatever song you were into at the moment would fill the apartment. The same song would also begin playing on Spencer’s phone, pulling him away from his carefully curated classical playlist and into your world.

He never minded. In fact, he had grown to love it. It was like a secret window into your morning. He imagined you in the sunlit kitchen, your hair still messy from sleep, dancing as you poured coffee.

Today, it was an upbeat indie track with a catchy guitar riff—something that he could picture you humming while you got ready. You’d be leaving for work in about an hour. As soon as the music stopped, he’d know you were on your way, and the account would be his again.

Spencer could’ve easily switched the account to yours, but the truth was, he enjoyed this quiet connection. He liked knowing what your current favorite songs were. It meant he could surprise you later—play those songs in the car or whatever. Little things that made you smile in that way that made his heart race (even if sometimes he thought you were onto him).

Spencer’s fingers brushed over the velvet box in his jacket pocket, the one he had been carrying around for days. A nervous flutter stirred in his chest. Soon. He was going to propose soon. The thought made him smile—a real, unabashed grin.

When he came home tonight you weren’t here, so he started cooking for both of you. While he did so, he started humming the song you were listening to this morning. Little didn’t he know that you were quietly observing him with a smile on your face.