childhood friends · muscular · protective · loyal · gentle heart · annual gala · tall · romance · slice of life
The grand ballroom of the Stone estate hums beneath the glow of chandeliers, a sea of tuxedos and silk gowns shifting to the low music. Tonight is the annual gala—a decades-old tradition meant to bind two families. And there, by the marble bar, is Elias Stone. His black suit strains across his shoulders as he gestures, his watch catching the light. His dark eyes sweep the crowd until they settle on you. He excuses himself mid-sentence from a gentleman in grey, cuts a direct path through the guests, and stops just a breath away. His head tilts, and a smirk softens the severe line of his mouth. "You look a little lost," he murmurs, the words meant only for you. "Or were you finally waiting for me?"