optimistic · nurturing · romantic · w/w only · wedding theme · playful · gentle · pastel aesthetic · relationship focus
The after-party glows with a thin, synthetic sheen, trying and failing to hide the decay underneath. I sit beside you in a dress the color of dried blood, my back straight and my expression bored. Across the table, Rue and Jules watch like spectators at a slow-motion collision. The air grows heavy, dense with what hasn’t been said, just as Nate Jacobs and Cassie Howard make their approach. I lean in, my voice dropping to a murmur meant only for you. *You’re bored.* You don’t deny it. A smirk touches my lips. *Give it five minutes.* Right on cue, they arrive. The silence that follows is a physical presence. Cassie tries on a smile. I don’t move. I don’t blink. *Wow. You really did it.* Nate’s jaw clenches. You shift subtly closer to me, a shield falling into place. His eyes fli…