The hum of chatter filled the airport as we waited in the terminal. People moved in waves—some rushing to their gates, others standing in line at coffee shops. But for me, it was as if the world had slowed down. The anticipation of our trip to El Nido buzzed between us, like an unspoken secret, and the excitement was almost tangible. Jayson, my fiancé—no, boyfriend then—sat beside me, tapping his fingers on the handle of his carry-on bag. I could see the glint in his eyes, the one he always had when he was thinking about something more than the moment.
I felt his elbow nudge me gently. "You know what we should do?" he said, his voice filled with a childlike energy. "Check out the electronics store. They've got the newest iPad, and there's a new iPhone out. You should see it."
I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my seat. "Jayson, my phone's fine. Besides, we're about to get on a plane. What are you going to do, buy a new gadget and set it up mid-flight?" I teased, crossing my arms but smiling at him.
He gave me that grin—the one that made it hard to say no, even when I knew I should. "C'mon, just take a look. It's not about buying anything. We've got time before boarding, and I'm curious to see what they've come out with."
I sighed, already feeling myself giving in. "Alright, fine. But I'm not getting sucked into your tech madness," I warned, though my words held no real conviction.
As we made our way to the electronics store, Jayson's excitement grew, radiating from him like a kid on Christmas morning. The moment we stepped through the glass doors, I watched as his eyes lit up, scanning every display, every shiny new gadget like they were treasures from some far-off land. He darted from one section to another, pointing out the features of the latest iPad and iPhones, his enthusiasm infectious. I tried to keep a straight face, but I couldn't help but admire his passion for it all.
He stopped in front of the newest iPhone, practically vibrating with excitement. "You've got to try this," he said, picking up a demo model and handing it to me. "Look at the screen—it's insane. The camera's supposed to be even better than the last one. And it's so much faster."
I took the phone, running my fingers over its sleek surface, feeling its weight in my hands. It was beautiful, no doubt about it, but I didn't need it. Still, I couldn't deny that the tech was impressive. "It's nice," I said, glancing at him with a smirk. "But I'm still perfectly happy with my old one."
Jayson chuckled, stepping closer, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone. "You don't always know you need an upgrade until you see it, though."
I was about to retort, something sarcastic no doubt, when I saw his hand slip into his pocket. The entire store seemed to fade into the background, the white noise of people and sales pitches disappearing as he pulled out a small, velvet box. My heart stopped. For a moment, I thought maybe I was imagining it. Surely not here, not in the middle of a tech store, right?
But then he opened the box.
A ring—sparkling, delicate, perfect—rested inside. His hands shook ever so slightly as he held it out to me, and when I looked up, I saw the vulnerability in his eyes. This wasn't a tech pitch or a playful tease. This was real.
"Erika," he began, his voice thick with emotion, "I know you said you didn't need an upgrade…" He paused, his usual confidence giving way to a raw sincerity that caught me off guard. "But I think it's time for us to upgrade our relationship, too."
I felt my breath catch in my throat. My heart pounded in my chest as everything seemed to narrow to this one moment, here, between the displays of gadgets and the fluorescent lights. His words—upgrade our relationship—sounded so Jayson. It was the perfect mix of him trying to be clever, trying to frame it in a way that made sense to us both, and it melted something in me.
He got down on one knee, opening the box wider to reveal the diamond ring, which caught the light and sparkled in a way that seemed almost unreal.
"Will you marry me?"
For a moment, all I could do was stare. My mind raced, and my body felt frozen—caught between the shock and the overwhelming surge of emotion. My hand flew to my mouth, and I could feel the tears welling up before I could stop them. I had dreamed about this moment, of course, but never like this. Never here, in the middle of a busy airport store, surrounded by gadgets and strangers. And yet, somehow, it felt perfect. Because it was *us*.
I blinked away the tears, trying to find my voice, but all that came out was a whisper. "Yes." Then louder, more certain, more real: "Yes, Jayson. A thousand times yes."
The tension broke, and I flung myself into his arms, pulling him up from the floor and into a hug so tight I thought I might never let go. He laughed, his breath shaky, and I felt him slip the ring onto my finger, his hands still trembling slightly. It fit perfectly.
We stood there for a moment, locked in our own world, the rest of the store moving around us as if we were invisible. I could feel the eyes of a few passersby on us, maybe some smiles exchanged between them, but none of that mattered. It was just us—me, him, and this new reality we were stepping into together.
When we finally pulled apart, his grin was wide, his eyes shimmering with relief and joy. "I can't believe I actually pulled that off," he admitted, shaking his head.
I laughed, wiping away the tears that had gathered at the corners of my eyes. "Neither can I! Here? In an electronics store?"
"I wanted it to be a surprise," he said, his voice playful again, though I could hear the emotion still lingering beneath the surface. "And you always surprise me. I figured it was fitting."
I shook my head, still in disbelief, glancing down at the ring that now sparkled on my finger. "Well, you got me, Jayson. You got me good."
The rest of the day felt like a blur after that. We left the store, new gadgets in hand, though they felt like the least important purchases we'd ever made. The weight of the ring on my finger was enough to make every other detail fade into the background. As we boarded the plane, I couldn't stop stealing glances at him, my heart full in a way I hadn't known it could be. He was mine. And soon, I would be his.
We settled into our seats, our hands intertwined, the cool metal of my engagement ring pressing gently into my skin as a constant reminder of the new chapter we were about to start. Jayson looked out the window as the plane began to taxi, his face lit up with excitement. I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling the hum of the engines beneath us, the world outside growing smaller as we prepared to take off.
"Ready for El Nido?" he asked softly, turning to look at me, his eyes bright with anticipation.
I smiled, my hand tightening around his. "Ready for anything," I whispered, meaning it more than ever before.
As the plane lifted off the ground, I couldn't shake the feeling that something even bigger was waiting for us—something beyond this trip, beyond the beaches and the cocktails. And deep down, I knew this was just the beginning.
Little did we know, El Nido would be the least of our adventures. Something far greater awaited us, something beyond the stars and into the world of Skyrim.
Back in the plane, the clouds swallowed us whole, as I held onto Jayson's hand, and we celebrated after we arrived at El Nido.
And now, here I am. Early morning light filtered through the frost-covered windows of the Frozen Hearth, casting a soft, ethereal glow across the room. The warmth of the inn contrasted sharply with the biting cold outside, and I could almost forget that I was no longer in the world I once knew. Almost.
As I wiped down a table, the rhythm of my actions was soothing—a welcome distraction from the turmoil swirling inside me. My thoughts drifted, unbidden, back to that perfect moment at the airport. Jayson, down on one knee, the ring glinting in the light as he asked me to marry him. The joy in his eyes, the love we shared—it all felt like a distant dream now.
I sighed, placing the cloth aside and gazing out at the snow-covered streets of Whiterun. The familiarity of the scene was deceptive; it was nothing like the bustling cityscape I had left behind. I missed Jayson terribly. I missed the mundane aspects of our life together, the comforting routines, and, most of all, the certainty that came with having him by my side.
"Please, Jayson," I whispered to the empty room, my voice barely audible over the crackling of the hearth. "I need you, baby."
The ache of loneliness was a constant companion in this strange land. I had no idea if he was here too, or if I was truly alone in this realm of dungeons and magic. The only thing I had to hold onto was the hope that, somehow, we would find each other again.
Dagur and Haran, the kind-hearted Nord husband and wife who had taken me in, had given me a place to stay. Their hospitality was a small but significant comfort in the face of my uncertainty. They had offered me food, warmth, and a job at the inn, and I worked hard to repay their kindness. Every day I served the patrons, cleaned the tables, and did what I could to make myself useful. It helped keep my mind off the aching void left by Jayson's absence.
One evening, after a particularly long shift, I sat alone in a corner of the inn, cradling a mug of warm mead. The fire crackled softly in the hearth, and the murmur of conversations around me provided a gentle hum of background noise. I stared into the flickering flames, hoping they might offer some guidance or clarity.
Despite the warmth of the inn, a chill settled in my bones, a reminder that I was far from home. I had tried to adapt, to fit into this world, but it was hard to shake the feeling that I didn't truly belong here.
The door creaked open, and I glanced up, half-expecting to see someone familiar, some sign of hope. But it was only a group of adventurers, their laughter and boisterous chatter adding to the lively atmosphere of the inn. I forced a smile as I passed by them, my heart heavy.
As I turned back to my corner, I couldn't shake the thought of Jayson. The life we had planned, the future we had dreamt of—everything seemed so distant now. But I held onto the hope that, somewhere out there, he was looking for me too.
The night grew darker, and the inn's lights flickered like stars against the encroaching gloom. I took a deep breath, trying to push away the fear and doubt that threatened to overwhelm me. I clung to the memory of Jayson's proposal, his words echoing in my mind, a beacon in the darkness.
I closed my eyes, imagining his voice, his touch. "We'll find each other," I whispered to myself, clinging to the hope that we would be reunited. "No matter where we are."
For now, I would continue to work, to live each day as best I could, and to hold onto the hope that Jayson was out there, searching for me as I was for him. The world of Skyrim was vast and filled with wonders and dangers, but I had to believe that love was strong enough to bridge any distance—even the distance between realms.
As I finished my drink and prepared for bed, I cast one last look at the inn's warm, welcoming interior. A small smile tugged at my lips, a glimmer of determination in my heart. I would endure, I would fight, and I would wait for the day when our paths would cross again.
Until then, I would hold onto the memories and the love that had brought us here, hoping that, somewhere in this vast, magical world, Jayson was doing the same.