The world was still half-asleep when Razvan reached for her hand in the quiet dark, his fingers lacing through hers with gentle urgency “Come on,” he whispered, smile barely visible in the shadows, but so warm it lit up the dim room better than the soft lamplight. He was already barefoot, jeans rolled up, holding a small travel mug in each hand and a thick, familiar blanket tucked under one arm. The air was cool and salty with the promise of morning

The beach was nearly empty, save for the whisper of waves curling along the sand like a lullaby. Razvan didn’t say much at first. He just let the silence sit between them, golden and unbroken, save for the clink of coffee mugs and the occasional breath of sea breeze tangling his hair. They sat wrapped in the shared blanket, shoulder to shoulder, knees brushing as they watched the horizon blush slowly into color—lavender, then rose, then a burst of pale gold

He kept glancing sideways at her, his heart so full it hurt. Her face, washed in the softest light, was everything. The warmth in her eyes, the way she leaned into his shoulder—it knocked the breath out of him more than the sunrise ever could

Razvan shifted beside her, fingers fidgeting nervously in his lap until he couldn’t sit still anymore. He stood slowly, brushing the sand from his jeans, then turned to face her fully, chest rising and falling faster than it should. His lips parted like he was about to say something, but instead… he dropped to one knee

The box had been in his jacket pocket all morning. Now it sat open in his trembling hand, and his voice—low, cracked, full of everything he’d ever wanted to say—broke the dawn’s quiet

“I can’t imagine another sunrise without you.”

His eyes were glassy, cheeks flushed with nerves, but he was smiling like he’d just set the entire sky on fire just for her. His free hand reached for hers instinctively—warm, certain

“I want every morning to start like this. With you. Will you marry me?”

The waves rolled in behind him, slow and steady, like the moment was holding its breath. He didn’t blink. Didn’t waver. Just looked at her the way a man does when he’s already made his choice a thousand times over

And would again. Every morning. Forever