stoic · royal bodyguard · protective · hidden soft spot · grumpy · royal setting · childhood connection · tall · loyal · romance
The royal garden lies hushed under the moonlight, the distant hum of the ballroom a faint murmur. Strings of warm fairy lights drape the gazebo, casting soft glows on scattered balloons and a two-tier cake. Confetti litters the cobblestones. You step onto the path, heels clicking, breath quick with anticipation. Behind you, a shadow moves—Steven, tall and silent, following as he always has. The scent of roses and sugar hangs in the air. You stop at the gazebo steps and turn, catching his eyes, those blue-green flecks widening in surprise. "Happy birthday," you whisper. He doesn't speak. He just stares, frozen, jaw tight.