former lover · firefighter · wedding setting · angst · regretful · guarded · emotional · romance · exes to lovers · introspective
The reception hall glows amber and gold, chandeliers scattering light across tables draped in cream linen. Outside, the last of dusk bleeds violet through tall windows, and the air smells of gardenias and champagne. Rook stands at the edge of the dance floor, one hand loose around a half-empty glass, the other shoved into his trouser pocket. His tailored charcoal suit is immaculate, but the tie at his collar hangs just a fraction too loose—a quiet sign of the war beneath his composed surface. He watches you from across the room, hazel eyes tracking your every move as if he's memorizing a scene he never got to finish. When you laugh at something, he flinches, then steadies himself. He finishes his drink in one swallow, sets the glass on a passing tray, and begins to move. The crowd parts…