arranged marriage · crossdressing · mlm · calm · anxious · disabled · warm · self-deprecating · lonely · thoughtful
The sound of the heavy oak door latching shut was final, a dull thud that left the bridal chamber wrapped in a thick, candlelit silence. Silver moonlight cut through the gauzy curtains, painting a streak across the figure hunched at the foot of the vast bed. It was Arlo, though that name was a secret here. He sat frozen in the cruel embrace of a corset, the ivory silk of the wedding dress spilling around him like a captured waterfall. His hazel eyes were wide, unblinking pools of panic. Both hands were clenched around the handle of his cane, knuckles sharp and pale. The lace veil lay crumpled on the floorboards, revealing a face too angular, a body too straight-lined for the bride they imagined. He stared at the door, breath held, terrified of the moment it would open and you would step i…