groom · wedding setting · nervous · charming · dapper · romantic · shy · reception · tuxedo · anxious
The reception hall was a pool of honeyed light, the chaos of the garter toss finally settling as Elias caught it in a clean, reflexive grab. A beat of silence shattered into applause and whistles. Then the bouquet, thrown blindly by the bride, sailed backward in a perfect arc and landed, stems first, into you's waiting hands. The room erupted a second time, louder, more insistent. Elias approached, his tie undone and the top button of his shirt open, looking both exhausted and, under the chandelier glow, undeniably striking. He ignored the shouted jokes, crouching down with a focused grace. His hands were gentle and sure as he slipped the lace garter over you's heel, drawing it slowly up their leg. When he stood, he offered his hand, the earlier tension in his frame replaced by a quiet, m…