Ms.Keech

MDNI |23| ☆ Sweet Sweet Sugar Honey Iced Tea ☆

[seospicybin]

LOVE IS BLIND.

FINAL PART

Felix x reader. (s,f)

MASTERLIST

Synopsis: You and Felix are contestants in a social experiment where singles meet and date in private pods, allowing them to communicate without seeing each other. (22,5k words)

Author's note: This was fun to write but it seems like not a lot of people enjoyed it, so I decide not to continue the series with other members. But I'd like to thank you for following this series. Hope you enjoy the final part ❣️

16 DAYS UNTIL WEDDING

The second Felix opens the front door, his face lights up. Because standing on the other side of the doorway are the two people he's missed most. His mother barely gets out a hello before Felix steps forward and wraps his arms around her.

The hug is tight and his voice breaks into an immediate grin. “Mom.”

“Oh, hello, sweet boy,” she laughs, squeezing him right back.

Felix closes his eyes for a second, savoring this warmth, this familiarity. A taste of home in a warm embrace. When he finally pulls away, he's immediately pulled into another hug by his younger sister. He softly chuckles as he’s hugging her back. “Great to see you,” he says.

“Well, not-so great for me,” she jokingly says.

Felix rolls his eyes dramatically. “Still annoying, I see.”

But he is happy. His family is here after being away from each other for months. And when he turns, he finds you there standing a few feet behind him with your hands clasped together in front of you, probably to stop them from shaking but he must admit that you still look like you're one deep breath away from fainting.

God, you're nervous. Yet he finds the sight so endearing that it almost makes him smile. Instead, he immediately crosses the distance and settles beside you. His hand finds the small of your back, grounding you the same way he always does.

You glance up at him and he offers a reassuring smile. Then looks back at his family. “This is my fiancée,” he proudly says with the brightest grin possible.

The word still feels surreal to him, even to this second.

You manage a polite smile. A beautiful one, despite how nervous you clearly are. “Hi. I heard a lot of things about you,” you sweetly say.

His mother immediately brightens. “I hope they’re wonderful things only,” she playfully says.

Without hesitation, she walks straight toward you and before you can even respond, she's pulling you into a hug.

Felix watches your eyes widen and then the way your arms slowly lift to hug her back. “So nice to finally meet you,” his mother says warmly.

You laugh nervously and then his mother pulls back just enough to study your face. “My goodness. You're trembling like a leaf.”

Felix immediately bites back a laugh, watching you look horrified while his mother looks delighted.

Your cheeks burn. “I'm nervous,” you meekly admit.

“Oh sweetheart. Don’t be,” she softly murmurs, his mother squeezes your arm affectionately. “We don’t bite.”

Felix can practically see the panic still flickering behind your eyes, but he also notices the warmth concealed under.

His sister steps forward next and after a brief moment of hesitation, you hug her too.

“Nice to meet you,” you say

“You too.”

The tension in your voice makes everyone smile. You sound like a broken record and for some reason that makes Felix love you even more.

Felix won’t let this turn awkward so he guides everyone to the dining table. As they move further into the apartment, his mother immediately starts admiring the apartment and so is her sister.

Felix finds himself smiling the entire time because somehow this feels natural like it was always supposed to happen. He pulls out a chair for his mother and she thanks him before sitting.

He pulls your chair next but instead of sitting, you place a hand and say, “I’ll help serving the food.”

He takes your hand and guides you down to your chair. “I can do it myself, baby.”

You don’t say anything but narrow your eyes, subtly glaring at him. And eventually, you settle on your seat.

Felix begins by filling the glasses with wine and sparkling juice for his younger sister. That way, you can relax and chat with her mom as he goes to the kitchen to handle the food. As he begins plating everything, he listens to the conversation you’re having with his mother.

His mother speaks first after taking a sip of wine. “I'm sorry Felix's father couldn't come.”

You quickly shake your head and smile. “Oh no, that's completely fine.”

“And his older sister is studying overseas right now.”

“Yes, I heard,” you say, wiping your palms on the hem of your dress under the table. “Honestly, it's already an honor that you came.”

Felix glances up from the pan of stir-fry vegetables, noticing the way you shyly smile and your hands folded on your lap.

“Thank you for taking the time and flew all the way from Australia.”

His mother's expression melts at that and the conversation continues easily after that. You and his mother lightly chat about the flight, about his sister and his father, the last time they visited the city. And in turn, you answer their question about the pods, the vacation, how filming reality TV works and you answer in growing confidence. The nerves begin disappearing from your shoulders.

Felix knows right then that you’re doing just fine and slowly winning her over. Not because you're trying. But because you're being yourself.

By the time Felix starts carrying dishes to the table, you look completely at ease. His chest warms at that. One by one he places the dishes down and soon, the apartment filled with the sound of clinking glasses, the smell of food and laughter.

Felix takes his own seat. His hand immediately finds yours on your lap. He gives it a gentle squeeze and you squeeze back while flashing him a soft smile. And it almost feels like a déjà vu to him. Like he’s seen and lived this moment before. Being here, sitting in dining table and surrounded by people he loves and cherishes.

When he looks at you, he gets this quiet certainty that this is meant to be. Because seeing you here, in this table, sitting next to him and holding his hand. It feels like you've always belonged here. Like you've always belonged with him.

-

FELIX: It was really nice seeing my family again. It was even nicer seeing them finally meet her. They've heard so much about her already. They probably think I’m obsessed [laughs] Maybe I do. [grins] But seeing her sit there with my mom and my sister... It just felt right. I think my family could see that too.

-

Dinner starts surprisingly well. Everyone is talking and lightly chatting, laughing in between. Dishes being passed around the table. Felix's sister is telling a story about something that happened at the airport. His mother keeps complimenting the food despite the fact that her son cooked it. And Felix sits beside you, occasionally touches you.

Everything is good but you can’t help anticipating. The inevitable questions. Because surely it has to come eventually. You're meeting his family for the first time. You're engaged to their son. You're getting married in less than three weeks. Of course there are going to be questions.

You’re moving almost robotic. You spear a piece of food with your fork and take a bite, then chew. And do it all over again. And pretend you're not nervous.

Unfortunately, Felix's cooking is almost wasted on you tonight. The food is incredible, seasoned well and cooked to perfection. But you're too busy worrying to properly enjoy any of it.

When you notice Felix’s mother places her fork down and looks across the table, directly at you, you know it. This is it.

She smiles as she lifts her wine glass. “So…”

You quietly swallow air. Your stomach twists into a knot.

“Tell us more about you.”

You quickly reach for your water, taking a sip in hope to buy yourself three extra seconds to think. Then you carefully set the glass down. “Well...” you begin, a small nervous laugh escapes you. “I'm kind of a loner.”

His sister softly chuckles at that while Felix intently looks at you with a faint smile tugging at his lips. He gives you a subtle nod, encouraging you to continue.

“I've been that way for a long time,” you share, briefly glance down at your lap. “My mom was always working so I… I became pretty independent at a young age.”

His mother listens attentively. Not interrupting. Not judging either.

“There were hard times, of course,” you continue, letting out a small chuckle to lighten up the tension. “But I kept working on myself. Got myself scholarships and eventually I decided I wanted to build something for myself.”

You put on a smile. Your confidence grows as you continue. “And thankfully it's been going well.”

You notice the way her eyebrow quirks up for a fraction as if she’s impressed.

“I'm not rich or anything,” you quickly add. “But I have enough to live comfortably.”

His mother nods warmly then have a small sip of her wine. “I think that’s incredibly brave.”

You slightly lean forward, not quite catching what she meant. “Pardon?”

“Starting your own business,” she answers as she puts her wine glass down, fingers stay wrapped around the stem. “Especially at a young age.”

The compliment catches you off guard and you can’t help but smile at that. “Thank you.”

Somehow that eases the tension a little. Only a little. Because the second the next question comes, your throat suddenly gets dry.

“And what about your family?”

You’ve prepared for this question but facing it head on is entirely different. You don’t want to put too much emotions or it’d sound like you're trying to tell a sad story. Too little emotions and then it’d make you sound cold. You stare down at your plate, trying to find the right words and arranging it in your head.

All of a sudden, you feel a hand slips into yours. Felix’s hand. It feels warm and steady. You look down at your tangled hands under the table before glancing up, and finds him giving you a soft, reassuring smile. Then a reassuring nod. The kind that says: You're okay. I've got you.

You take a breath and look back at his mother. “For a long time, it was only us. Just me and my mom.”

Your voice comes out steadier than expected. You softly smile before continuing. “My mom raised me with everything she had,” you pause to swallow the lump forming in your throat. “And I think a lot of who I am today is because of her.”

The table grows quiet because the conversation turns a little too deep, a little to personal. Felix’s thumb continuously rubbing the back of your hand, constantly reminding you of his steady presence.

His mother smiles. Then carefully asks, “And what about your father, my dear?”

You glance down at your lap once. Just once. “He hasn't really been around since I was five,” you steadily answer.

It’s like the whole table decides to hold their breath in this very moment. And you can see it, the one look people give you whenever you share this piece of you — pity, sadness, sympathy, or a mix of them three.

You brace yourself for any of it or the usual response people give you. But instead, his mother reaches across the table and takes your hand.

She smiles a warm, maternal smile and says, “Well, you're about to have one.”

You slightly tilt your head to the side, confused.

Her thumb brushes against your hand. “I'm sure Felix's father will be thrilled to have another daughter.”

Her smile widens before adding, “Just like I am.”

For a second you can't speak. You can't even think because this is not the reaction you expected. You’re happy with it, you do but at the same time, your eyes sting.

Oh no. No. Not now. Not in front of everyone. You manage a smile but also, a tear slips free. You immediately wipe it away with the back of your hand while laughing at yourself. Embarrassed.

Felix quickly reaches for a napkin, gently dabs your eyes with it and doing it carefully to not to ruin your makeup. “See? You had nothing to worry about, baby,” he murmurs low enough only for you to hear.

A breathless laugh escapes you and somehow, more tears spill out of the corner of your eyes. You take the napkin from him, pressing the fabric to the corner of your eyes.

His mother looks thoroughly pleased with herself and eventually she releases your hand after giving it a gentle squeeze. “Okay. Next question!” She playfully says.

“Oh, no,” you blurt out, almost absentmindedly.

The table laughs too at that and then his mother points toward Felix. “Why did you choose my son?”

The question gets you looking at Felix and that’s all you need to find the answer. “The conversations we had in the pods. They were deep and personal and important. But with him…”

You smile to briefly glance at Felix and continue, “They felt so easy. I never once felt judged. I never felt like I had to be someone else.”

This time, you turn his hand over and hold it, tightly. “He made me feel safe and comfortable to be myself. He made me happy.”

Felix’s expression softens at that and you can see the way he’s holding himself back from grinning ear to ear.

“Even before you knew what he looked like?” Felix’s sister asks.

“Yes,” you certainly answer while gazing into Felix’s eyes.

His mother smiles and nods at that.

While his sister grimaces. “That’s very unfortunate,” she jokes.

The whole table laughs except Felix who is glaring at his sister.

Then you add, almost like an afterthought. “And he's a chef. So it’s nice to know that I’d be fed well.”

Felix makes a startled sound and gives you a playful side-eye. “Joke’s on her cause the last thing I want to do is more cooking.”

More laughter filled the table.

His mother laughs so hard she nearly spills her wine. Then suddenly she points at her son. “Felix mentioned something about omelet?”

You immediately groan while next to you, Felix starts laughing.

You sit up straighter. “It’s kind of… uh, my specialty,” you sheepishly share.

“It’s basically called Felix’s omelet now,” Felix shares with a proud grin.

That gets your head whipped toward him. “Oh, is it?”

“Yeah,” he answers, leaning close until his face lingering only inches away from yours. “Because I have it every day. And it’s my favorite.”

And just like that, your sad omelet now turns into Felix’s omelet. And maybe it’s supposed to be that. Because the food no longer correlated to your sad past. All you remember about your omelet now, is how you made it for him every morning for breakfast and the grateful smile he gives you when you serve it.

With your heart brimming with warmth and gratitude, you lean in and give him a quick kiss on the lips. For a second, you forgot that his family is there. When you pull away, you quickly look down, flustered.

Felix doesn’t care at all about their presence as he leans in and gives you another kiss on the corner of your mouth, and then rests an arm behind you.

After a moment, you dare yourself to look up and notice the way his mother looks between the two of you.

His mother looks between the two of you, a soft smile etched to her lips. “You know, Felix’s dad and I got married quite young. And I think when something feels right...”

Her eyes move between the two of you. “...you just go for it.”

The words sound comforting and reassuring. You glance toward Felix and he looks back at you immediately. And for the first time all night — all the fear, the nerves, the insecurities.

They finally start to quiet.

His mother lifts her wine glass, looking at the two of you as she says, “A toast for the two of you.”

The other follow suit, including you. You raise your glass, stretching it as far as you can to the middle of the table.

“And to love being blind,” Felix adds with a smile.

With that, everyone clinking their glasses with each other before taking a sip.

Once you put down your glass. You take a look around the table, the faces and the smiles on them and just simply being there with people who celebrate you and Felix’s love and happiness — it feels like maybe the two of you are meant to be with each other after all.

-

YOU: I was nervous the entire time. Can you tell? [shyly laughs] I had no idea how the conversation would go. What they would think of me. If they would like me. It turns out most of it was just in my head. Because their reactions were… nothing like I expected. And getting their blessing... [sighs in relief] meant a lot to me. I'm really happy. [brightly smiles]

-

14 DAYS UNTIL WEDDING

All the other guys are already there when Felix arrived to the tailor shop. Jim is already cracking jokes. Rob is leaning against a display of suit jackets with a drink in hand. Shane is browsing ties with his brows furrowed in bewilderment. And somehow all of them have brought someone with them.

They’re friends, or brothers, or families. People they choose as a source of moral support. Including Felix. He brought his close friend, Marco, with him to go through this process.

Felix adjusts the strap of his bag over his shoulder before guiding Marco to meet everyone else.

“This is insane, man,” Marco mutters low enough only for Felix to hear.

Felix sets his bag down on the vacant stool. “Why?”

“I'm here, helping you pick wedding suits for women you met through a wall.”

Felix laughs as they settle, standing side by side with the other like what a production staff asked them to and gather around the entrance for filming to start.

Almost immediately, a familiar voice calls everyone's attention as the male host enters with a bright smile. “Hey, fellas. How are we doing?”

Everyone answers in various responds, mostly positive ones but some are louder than the others. Jim practically shouts from the other end of the line.

The male host looks at everyone once more before talking. “In this blind love experiment, you chose to get engaged and spend the rest of your life with a woman you had not seen, based solely on emotional connection. You’ve shared a romantic getaway, moved in with one another.”

He flashes everyone a smile and then gestures toward the rows of suits surrounding them. “Today, you guys are going to choose a suit to wear at your wedding on your wedding day. I see that you brought your family and friends here with you. A little moral support today. That’s good. That’s important.”

That gets Felix reeling for a second because today, he’s choosing a suit for his wedding day. His wedding day.

The host turns toward Jim. “And who did you bring today?”

Jim immediately throws an arm around the guy beside him. “This is Alex. He’s my bandmate. Also, a good friend of mine."

The host nods, then turns toward Felix. “Felix, who did you bring today?”

“My buddy, Marco,” Felix warmly introduces while massaging Marco’s shoulder. “We’ve been friends since culinary school.”

“And Marco, what did you think about Felix getting married soon?” the host curiously asks.

Marco glances at Felix and lets out a soft chuckle, he scratches the back of his head. “It’s kind of crazy. But if there’s someone, I know who would do this, it’s this guy,” he says, taking another glance at Felix. “He’s always been a little uh… unexpected. Typical middle child.”

The other chuckles at that and the host grins before continuing. “As a reminder, gentlemen... Your weddings are only two weeks away.”

A collective groan echoes through the shop and Felix can see that he’s not the only one getting this feeling. That this is getting a little too real.

“When you choose your suit today, I want you to think what it symbolizes,” the host says, smiling so widely that his dimples sunken deep into his cheeks. “Enjoy the day, enjoy the process and we can’t wait of see you in your suits.”

The host eventually dismisses everyone to begin fittings and the group immediately scatters. And the second he turns away, Felix lets out a sigh because two weeks feel both terrifying and exciting. But mostly exciting.

-

FELIX: It was nice to be with the boys again. And I have my good friend, Marco. But what made it easier is knowing that I’m with the people who’s going through the same process. And that means a lot. [smiles]

-

The shop is loud with chattering from the girls and the friends or families they brought with them. Laura is here with her mother. Morgan brought her sister. Sonya has two friends with her. They all seem excited for today’s wedding gown shopping.

For you personally, it feels a little intimidating because you came with your mom. She’s standing beside you, holding a glass of champagne that one of the staff members handed to everyone a moment ago. Every now and then, you catch her looking around the boutique with the same expression she wore when she first learned you were engaged. A mixture of disbelief, confusion and reluctant excitement.

Before you can dwell on it too much, someone pushes through the entrance of the shop and catches everyone's attention.

The female host enters the boutique. Immediately greeted by excited smiles and waves. “Hello, ladies!”

A chorus of greetings follows in respond.

The host beams at all of you and then gestures around the room. “Today's a big day.”

A collective laugh moves through the group. Because everyone knows exactly what today means. You’ll be trying on some wedding dresses and pick the one you'll wear standing in front of your families and friends. And the person waiting for you at the end of the aisle.

The host continues. “Today you'll all be choosing the wedding gowns you'll wear on one of the most important days of your lives.”

Several girls immediately groan in excitement. Others laugh nervously. You do both.

The host's eyes move around the room, taking in all the guests. “I can see everyone brought support.”

She smiles and then suddenly looks directly at you. “And who did you bring today?”

You immediately glance toward your mother, putting a hand on the small of her back as you gently motion her to move a little forward. “I brought my mom.”

The attention shifts toward her and your mother straightens beside you.

The host grins. “And mom, what do you think about all of this?”

The answer comes immediately and honestly. Exactly as expected. “I definitely didn't expect my daughter to get married through a love experiment.”

The entire room erupts into laughter. Including you.

You hide your face behind your champagne glass. “Oh my God.”

The host is laughing too. “Very fair answer.”

The laughter eventually settles as the host takes a step forward. Then delivers the reminder nobody is prepared for. “As exciting as this is...” she pauses dramatically. “Your weddings are only two weeks away.”

There’s a wave of reactions but this time, less excitement, more nerves. Morgan dramatically gasps. Laura groans while clutching her chest. And you, you quietly exhale and try to ignore the knot forming in your stomach.

Two weeks. Two. Weeks. How is that possible? It feels like yesterday you were talking to Felix in the pods and yet somehow, you're here, picking a wedding dress for a wedding that's actually happening.

The host seems delighted by everyone's reaction, but continues anyway. “This will be the gown that you wear when you stand in front of your family and friends. And the man that you’ve chosen.”

She gestures toward the racks of gowns surrounding the boutique. “In that dress, you’ll ultimately decide will you will say ‘I do’ to the man you got engaged to, sight unseen? Or will you choose to walk away from him forever.”

Something soft enters her expression. “And most importantly...” Her eyes move around the room. “I hope you all get to celebrate a beautiful wedding and experience a marriage that lasts the test of time. But this is an experiment: Is love blind?”

She takes a brief pause to look everyone firmly before breaking into another smile. “I hope you guys prove that it is.”

The room quiets for a second as the words settling over everyone. Then smiles begin appearing, faint but hopeful ones.

The host eventually says her goodbyes and leaves the boutique and the tension immediately breaks.

Someone raises their champagne glass. A toast is proposed. Within seconds everyone gathers near the center of the room. Champagne glasses lifted into the air.

“To surviving the next two weeks.”

The entire group bursts into laughter and soon, the glasses clinking together. When you take a sip, the champagne tastes sweet and bubbly. And for the first time all day, this starts feeling real.

Afterward everyone begins dispersing deeper into the boutique, toward racks of lace, silk, tulle and selection of dresses waiting to be tried on. Your mother loops her arm through yours and smiles at you. And together, you disappear into the sea of white gowns.

-

YOU: Never in a million years did I think I'd be here. Wearing engagement rings was already crazy enough. But shopping for a wedding dress? [softly chuckles] I definitely didn't plan for any of this which honestly makes it harder. Because I don't actually know what I like in a wedding gown. I've never thought about it before. But I'm excited. [smiles]

-

The guys are taking turns to get their measurements taken by the tailor. And since it’s not his turn yet, Felix moves toward the shoe section with Marco. He sits down and slips on a pair of brown leather shoes. The leather is soft and comfortable, and only then he realizes he hasn’t shopped for formal shoes in a while and he considers of buying them.

When Felix glances up, he finds Marco quietly studying him. He knows Marco well enough to know that it’s a bad sign. “What?”

Marco shrugs and then sits on the other stool. “I actually have concerns.”

Felix expected this conversation eventually so he gets comfortable on his seat. “What kind of concerns?”

“All of it,” Marco gestures vaguely. “I mean, you me this girl, got engaged, moved in together all within weeks. I just— When it comes to relationship, you’re always careful. This is like a leap of faith for you. So yeah, that’s my concern.”

That's true. Everything Marco said is true. Felix has always taken his time, always thought things through and cautious. But this... This never felt reckless. It felt certain.

He lifts his gaze. “Well, I don't expect you to understand.”

Marco snorts and then nods. “Fair.”

Felix looks at him then, letting him see it. “But can you see that I’m happy? And I know you’ve seen me happy before. But this is a different kind of happiness and I don’t know… I’ve never been with anybody that feels this easy, this right to be with.”

Marco intently listening while holding a shoe in his hand.

“I mean yes, there have been complications,” Felix continues, putting a hand on his knee. “But we got over them quickly and we understand each other better after.”

Marco studies him, trying to determine if he's convincing himself. Or telling the truth.

Eventually he sighs and says, “Yeah, okay. You look happy.”

“Because I am,” Felix quickly confirms.

The skepticism finally softens from Marco's face. “Then that's all I care about,” he says, bumping his shoulder against Felix’s. “I’m happy as long as you’re happy.”

Felix feels his chest loosen in relief and he takes off the brown leather shoes to try on the black one with brogue design.

"So, you two live together,” Marco says, not completely done with the conversation. “I’m sure you guys learned a lot about each other.”

“Yes,” Felix simply answers, slipping his foot into the shoe. Then he glances at Marco. “Actually, she knows me better than you do.”

Marco places a hand over his chest, offended. “Oh, wow!”

Felix bursts out laughing. “What?”

“That hurt.”

“It should.”

Marco shakes his head dramatically. “Can’t believe I drove two hours for this treatment.”

Felix laughs and gets up, walking toward the mirror to check how he looks in those shoes. Then he nods approvingly.

When Felix thinks that Marco is done with it, he casually says, “So she knows everything then.”

Felix turns on his feet. “What?”

Marco hesitates for a while and then asks, “You’ve told her about your past relationships, right?”

The world seems to pause for half a second as a flicker of panic to shoot through him. Because no, you don’t know. Not really. And suddenly Felix is very aware of that fact.

Marco is still waiting for his answer so Felix puts on a smile and says, “Yeah.”

The lie leaves his mouth before he can stop it. “Yeah, of course.”

Marco nods and the conversation finally stop there. He points toward another pair of shoes. “You should try those.”

Felix follows his gaze but the knot remains, it’s sitting in the pit of his stomach. Because the second Marco brought it up, Felix realized that you’ve been open and honest with him, but he hasn’t fully returned the favor to you.

-

FELIX: I don't think I was intentionally hiding anything. I just... I didn't think my past relationships mattered that much anymore. But she was so honest with me. So open. Even about the difficult parts of her life. And I owe her that same honesty. [sadly smiles]

-

The first wedding dress is beautiful. The kind of dress you would stop and stare at if you saw it in a bridal magazine. But standing in it? That's a completely different experience.

You stand on the small platform inside the fitting room while the consultant moves around you, pulling and pinning, clipping extra fabric behind your back. The dress isn't your size yet, so she's constantly adjusting things to help you visualize how it would look once properly fitted.

“There we go,” she says as another clip snaps into place.

You look at the reflection staring back from the mirror. For a second, you don't recognize her in that white fabric, fitted bodice and the train pooling behind you.

A bride. You look like a bride and that's still a strange thing to process.

“It's gorgeous on you,” the consultant says.

You smile because it is gorgeous. But something feels slightly off. Your gaze drifts toward the neckline and it’s a little too low, too revealing for you. Still, you have to show it to everyone just like the production staff asked.

The consultant carefully gathers part of the train and helps guide you toward the fitting room door. You take slow steps, very aware of the fabric trailing behind you. Then step out.

You notice the way every head turns toward you. Morgan sits up straighter on her seat, nodding as she takes it in while Laura's eyebrows shoot up. Your mom lowers her champagne glass.

For a second, nobody says anything. Then Laura points. “No.”

You burst out laughing at his blunt honestly as she shrugs unapologetically.

Morgan tilts her head, studying you carefully. “It isn't bad. But I don’t think it flatters you.”

The room immediately hums with agreement and you agree with them. You look back at yourself in one of the mirrors and yeah, it just isn’t right.

So back into the fitting room you go. But dress number two isn't any better. You walk out and take one look at your mother's face. And immediately know.

“No?”

Your mother winces and shakes her head. “No.”

You snort and pull the hem of the wedding dress just enough to allow you to walk without struggle. “Thank you.”

At this point you're beginning to understand why brides spend entire days doing this. Maybe entire weeks. Because finding the dress feels impossible.

Until suddenly, the consultant helps pull the next dress over your shoulders. She takes her time adjusting the fabric before finally take a step back.

Only then, you look at your reflection in the mirror and oh, she looks beautiful. The mermaid silhouette hugs your figure beautifully. The neckline frames you perfectly. Elegant without feeling too revealing. The lace details look delicate and expensive. Intricate without being overwhelming. And the train, oh god, you look over your shoulder to see it cascade behind you.

You don't even realize you're smiling until the consultant laughs.

“I think you’ve found it,” she says, pointing at the mirror.

And maybe she's right. Because for the first time today, you just know that this is the kind of dress you’ll wear when you walk down the aisle. When you step out of the fitting room this time, everyone knows too.

Morgan practically jumps from her seat. “Oh my God,” she gasps, covering her mouth with a hand.

Laura nods approvingly and then raise her glass of champagne in the air. “Yes. That’s what I’m talking about.”

The room erupts in cheers and smiles and approving nods. And suddenly you're laughing because their reactions are making you emotional. You look down at yourself again, still unable to stop smiling.

“So, how does it feel to be in a wedding dress?’ Morgan softly asks.

The question catches you off guard. Because you expect to answer something simple. Instead, your throat tightens and suddenly emotion rushes up without warning.

You laugh once, trying to hold it together. “Weeks ago, I didn't even think I'd get engaged.”

The room grows quiet.

You take another look at yourself in the mirror, still in disbelief. “And now I'm trying on wedding dresses,” you pause as a breathless laugh escapes you. “It sounds ridiculous when I say it out loud.”

A few people chuckle at that.

You shake your head and continue, “I always thought things like this only happened in movies. And fairytales. But looking at myself in this...”

You smile at your own reflection and that makes your eyes sting. “…I think maybe fairytales do exist.”

The room collectively melts and coos. When you look back at everyone, you immediately notice your mother is already emotional.

“I think maybe...” you clasp your hands together in front of you. “…you just have to make your own fairytale.”

Now everyone is definitely emotional. Including you. Especially you. You laugh through your own tears. Then inevitably, everyone turns toward your mother, curious with her opinion. She stares at you long enough that your heart starts pounding. Her eyes are glassy and shining. Then she nods.

“You'll make a beautiful bride.” Your mother's smile grows as she adds, “And he would be stupid to say no to this.”

The room explodes into laughter. Including you. Even while wiping tears from your eyes. And for a moment, everything feels perfect.

-

YOU: I really hope it’s true. [nervously laughs] I hope that's the dress he'll say yes to. And yeah, I know there’s still a possibility he could say no. That's the scary part. I just can’t help this feeling. [thinly smiles] The happier I get... the more scared I become.

-

For Felix, cooking usually settles him. Tonight, however, it doesn't. He stirs the sauce slowly, watching it bubbles in the pan while Marco's words replay in his head for what feels like the hundredth time.

You’ve told her about your past relationships, right?

The lie had slipped out so easily after. Yeah, yeah. Of course.

He winces now just thinking about it. The problem is that you’ve been honest with him. You've told him about heartbreaks, fears, insecurities, the painful things that you still carry inside your chest to this day. And every time you've opened a door, he's stepped through it willingly. Except this one.

He knows he should tell you. But every time he imagines the conversation, every possible outcome follows right behind it. What if it changes how you see him? What if it makes you question things? What if it creates doubt when there wasn't any before?

The front door opens and the sound startles him enough that the spoon taps against the side of the pan. His eyes immediately lift toward the hallway. His shoulders relax instantly knowing that it’s you because who else have the keys to unlock the apartment.

A moment later, you appear around the corner. Your smile greets him first. You kick off your shoes near the entrance, toss your keys into the bowl on the console table, and start shrugging out of your jacket.

The second your eyes find him, your smile widens. “Hi.”

The knot in his chest loosens despite himself. “Hey.”

You walk straight toward him and right into his space.

Felix opens an arm automatically, and you step into it, your body fits against his so naturally. “How was wedding dress shopping?” he asks.

You only hum against his shoulder before tilting your head up, leaning in just enough to land a soft, quick kiss on his lips. “It was a bit overwhelming,” you honestly answer, then lands another kiss.

Felix chases the second one, earning a quiet laugh from you. “You drove your mom home first?” he asks.

“Yeah.”

Your attention suddenly shifts toward the stove and the mouthwatering smell of the sauce bubbling in the pan. “Oh, this smells amazing.”

He keeps a hand on the small of your back. “Are you hungry?”

“Famished,” you quickly answer.

The grin that spreads across his face feels effortless. “Why don’t you go wash up and I’ll have it ready for you.”

You smile at that. “Good plan.”

The second you're gone, the apartment feels quieter and soon enough, his smile fades as his thoughts return. He quickly ignores them and focuses on plating the dinner.

By the time you come back, everything is ready. You visibly brighten at the sight of the spread on the dining table. “Oh, this is lovely.”

His heart gives a stupid little jump. “You haven't even tasted it.”

“Doesn't matter,” you wave him off as you sit down. “I know it’ll taste good.”

Dinner starts easily after that. And like most night, the two of you share about each other’s day. You tell him about the fitting, about the girls’ honest and almost brutal opinions and how your mother nearly crying. Twice.

Felix nods, smiles and laughs through most of it. And for a little while, he almost forgets the weight sitting in his chest. to distract himself, he looks at you. “So, tell me about the wedding dress.”

“It’s beautiful,” you vaguely answer

“That’s it?”

You smirk as you scoop peas with your fork. “That’s it. No spoilers.”

“Not even one?”

“Nope.”

Felix softly chuckles and shakes his head.

You put down your fork and grab your glass of water. “What about your suit?” you ask with a sly smile tugging at your lips.

“Also confidential,” Felix answers, getting back at you.

You narrow your eyes. “Is it nice?”

“It is.”

“Do you look sexy as hell in it?” you tease.

Felix cracks a deep laugh and then shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. You'll be taking it off of me anyway.”

Your mouth falls open and without thinking, you throw your napkin at him. But he catches just in time, making you both break into laughter. Once the hilarity settles, the dinner continues in comfortable silence. And you seem to notice that he’s quieter than usual.

You playfully bump his shoulder with yours. “Shopping wedding suits wore you out, huh?”

You land a comforting rub on his back and continue watching him.

All of a sudden, he feels seen.

“Are you okay?” you ask, slightly concerned now.

There it is. The opening. The right opportunity to tell you. The words reach the back of his throat.

“Yeah, I'm just tired,” he says instead.

In the end, fear wins and the lie tastes awful.

You accept his answer without question which somehow makes it worse. "Yeah, today was kind of overwhelming,” you agree, landing another comforting rub on his back.

Relief and guilt arrive together. A terrible combination.

You scoot closer to his side, arm looping through his. Your head resting briefly against his shoulder. “How about…” you say, linking your arm together with his. “We take a nice, hot shower after this?”

Felix looks down at you and sees the affection, the trust. At the way you don't hesitate to lean on him. “Yeah. That sounds nice,” he softly says.

You smile and he smiles back. But later, when you're not looking, his gaze drifts toward the engagement ring on your finger.

Two weeks. Only two weeks. And he still hasn't told you everything, still not ready to face what might happen after he says it out loud.

-

FELIX: I want to tell her. I do. I just… I don't know. [heavily sighs] I'm just not ready to face the risk yet. What if it changes something? And maybe that's selfish. But right now... I'm not ready.

-

Warm water cascades from the showerhead, pattering softly against tile and skin alike. You stand in front of Felix, working soap across his shoulders and chest. The muscles loosen beneath your hands, but not enough. Something is still sitting heavily on his mind. You can feel it. You've felt it ever since dinner.

“Turn around,” you tell him while putting away the bar of soap.

He obeys immediately and once he’s facing away from you, you begin washing his back for a moment before stepping closer, wrapping your arms around his waist from behind. You rest your chin on his shoulder, the skin feels warm under you.

“Why are you so quiet?” you ask softly.

A low chuckle vibrates through his chest. “Because you're doing such a good job.”

You take his answer as it is and nuzzle your head into the crook of his neck. Then your hands drift across his stomach, absentmindedly tracing circles against his skin.

The water rushes around both of you and for a few seconds neither of you says anything. Then carefully, almost teasingly, you ask, “You're not having second thoughts, are you?”

Felix turns his head to the side. “Huh?”

“You know,” you shrug before continuing, “Choosing me. Marrying me… soon.”

Felix lets out a soft chuckle. This time he reaches back and covers your hands with his own. “No.”

“That was suspiciously quick.”

“Because it's true.”

“You sure?”

“I'm sure.”

You narrow your eyes even though he can't see it. “You'd better tell me now instead of leaving me at the altar,” you playfully say.

That earns a genuine laugh out of him, the kind that finally reaches his eyes. He turns around in your arms until he's facing you. Water beads on his eyelashes. His hair hangs messily across his forehead. And God, he's beautiful. Ethereally so.

His arms slide around your waist and pull you closer. “I won't do that to you.”

You smile against his neck. Your smile widens when he leans and lovingly kisses your cheek.

“I think I'm more afraid of you saying no,” he suddenly adds when he pulls away.

That’s new. Felix has always been the confident one in the relationship. “I can’t believe you’re more nervous than I am,” you tease.

He only grins and then shrugs in respond.

You shake your head at that, but at the same time, you understand that fear. Because you do too. You stare at him for a second before cupping his face with both hands. “You know I love you.”

And you know that’s not the answer or the assurance he seeks, but you hope that it’s enough. You rise onto your toes and kiss him. The kind of kiss that says more than words ever could. When you pull away, you're smiling and so is he. For a moment you think that's the end of it. Then his hand slides to the small of your back and he kisses you again. Harder and longer this time.

The steam swirls around you. The water continues falling. The rest of the world feels impossibly far away. You melt into him. His forehead presses against yours when the kiss finally breaks. Both of you smiling. Both of you breathing a little harder.

“I love you too.”

You don't realize how much you needed to hear them until now. And suddenly the worries about families, fittings, guest lists, vows and wedding plans don't seem nearly as important. Because right here, in this moment, it's just the two of you. The same way it has always been. The same way you hope it always will be.

You rest your head against his shoulder. His arms tighten around you. And together you stay beneath the warm water a little longer. Just holding each other.

-

YOU: I think the wedding stress is definitely getting to both of us. There's so much happening all at once. Just the fact that we're getting married in less than two weeks... [shakes head] It's overwhelming sometimes. I hope he knows that he doesn't have to handle everything by himself. And that we’re a team. [smiles]

-

7 DAYS UNTIL WEDDING

The second Felix pushes open the apartment door, he sees you waiting for him. One shoulder rests against the wall near the entrance, arms loosely folded across your chest, a smile already pulling at your lips like you've been listening for his footsteps. And just like that, his entire day immediately feels lighter.

“Hey, you,” you sweetly say.

God. That tone. That smile.

A grin spreads across his face before he can stop it. “Hey.”

He kicks off his shoes, shrugs out of his jacket, and drops his keys into the bowl by the door. The moment he's free, you're already stepping toward him and he happily meets you halfway. His arms slide around your waist and yours immediately find their place around his shoulders. Then comes the soft, loving kiss. A kiss that melts away stress before he even realizes he's carrying it. He kisses you once. Twice. Three times. Unable to stop himself.

You start laughing somewhere between the third and fourth kiss. “Okay, you’re—”

But he cuts you off with another kiss. And another kiss.

You break into laughter when he finally pulls away. Your hand moves to the nape of his neck, holding him there. “Tough day at work?”

He lands a quick peck on your lips. “It's all better now,” he answers with a smile.

You smile so brightly that something squeezes around his heart. “You say that every time.”

"Because it's true."

You scratch lightly through the hair at the back of his head. The gesture is so casual now as if you've been doing it forever.

Felix almost forgets himself. Almost forgets everything weighing on him. The uncomfortable truth settles again somewhere in the back of his mind, waiting persistently. But he shoves it away. Not now. Not yet.

You take his hand and lead him further into the apartment. “Do you want dinner?”

“No. Thanks.”

“How about instant noodles?”

He laughs. “You really want to feed me, huh?”

“You're a chef. If I don't feed you, who will?”

The logic is impossible to argue with. Still smiling, he shakes his head. “I'm okay.”

“Okay then,” you sigh dramatically. “But if you get hungry later, don't come crying to me.”

Felix finds you the most adorable when you scold him so he leans down and steals another quick kiss. Then excuses himself to shower.

However, the hot water does little to quiet his thoughts. Because now he's alone with them. there’s only one week until the wedding and yet he still hasn't told you. And every day he waits, it becomes harder. And every day he waits, the consequences feel bigger. The guilt sits heavier in the pit of his stomach, making him feel sick from the inside.

Tell her tonight. Just tell her tonight. The thought follows him the entire time he showers.By the time he changes into comfortable clothes and returns to the living room, he's almost convinced himself to do it. Then he sees you, curled up on the sofa with one leg folded under you. A notebook balanced on your lap. Pen moving across the page.

A small smile appears on his face. “What are you doing?”

You don't even look up. “Wedding stuff.”

“Ooh… dangerous.”

That earns a laugh. “Extremely.”

Finally you stop writing and glance up. “I'm trying to write my vows.”

Felix immediately perks up. “Oh, really?”

You quickly flip the page. “No peeking.”

“I'm not peeking.”

“You're thinking about peeking.”

He grins. “Maybe.”

He drops onto the sofa beside you, close enough that your shoulder bumps his.

You reopen the notebook but cover the page with your hand. “I'm trying to decide what tone should I use.”

“What are the options?”

“Should I go playful romantic or… explicitly steamy?”

Felix nearly chokes while you start laughing immediately. Without missing a beat, he points. “I vote on the second one.”

“The steamy one?”

“Absolutely,” he answers, slumping slightly on the sofa.

You softly laugh as you flip to another page and it’s filled with list of names and scribbles. And he guesses that it’s your guest list.

“You still have empty spots.”

You don’t even deny it and put your hand away to show it to him. “That's because I don't have many friends.”

“That's not true.”

“I have like… three,” you answer rather thoughtfully. “And one of them is Gnocchi.”

Felix snorts. Then he nudges your knee. “What about me? Am I not your friend?”

You grin and then shake your head. “Nope.”

“No?”

“You can't be on the guest list,” you point out. “You’ll be the guy standing at the altar.”

He nods solemnly. “Good point.”

You glance back down at the page. “You can take some of my guest spots. You have more friends than me.”

Felix shrugs. “Probably.”

“Invite whoever you want,” you say while grinning mischievously. “Invite your exes if you want.”

Everything inside him freezes. Just for a second. But enough for you to notice.

You reach for his hand and squeeze it. “I'm just joking.”

The concern in your voice makes him feel worse. You study him for another moment. Then your teasing disappears completely.

“What is it? Are you still nervous? About the wedding?”

This is the perfect opening. It’s just the two of you. And he can comfortably tell you about it. His heart starts hammering as the words rise and reach his throat. He looks at you and he finds trust and certainty in them. He opens his mouth and at the very last second— He loses his nerve. Again.

A coward. The word flashes through his mind immediately.Because he knows exactly what he's doing and he hates it.So instead, he smiles.

“No, I just can’t wait to marry you.”

You let out a playful, disbelieving scoff. “Okay, hold down your horses there, mister.”

Before he can react, you're launching yourself at him. The notebook flies forgotten onto the cushion. Your arms wrap around his neck. Your legs nearly climb into his lap.

Felix laughs despite everything and they escape him easily. Even while guilt twists inside his chest. You squeeze him tighter. You grin against his shoulder. And that makes him feel worse. Because it's true.

He is excited. He's never been more sure of anything. But every day he waits to tell you the truth feels like another crack in something he desperately wants to protect. So he hugs you tighter and lets himself enjoy this moment. And he pretends the knot in his chest isn't there. Just for tonight.

-

FELIX: The longer I keep this from her... [shakes head] The worse I feel. I keep thinking I'll tell her tomorrow. Then tomorrow comes. And suddenly it doesn't feel like the right moment. I think that's what scares me the most… The possibility that she might look at me differently afterward. [rubs his neck] I don't know how much longer I can keep carrying it.

-

5 DAYS UNTIL WEDDING

The apartment door is already unlocked before you can even reach for your keys. And when you push it open, you're immediately greeted by the sight of Felix standing in the entryway, waiting for you.

Your eyebrows shoot up. “You're home?”

Felix's grin widens. That grin. The one that usually means trouble. Or a surprise. Or both.

“Welcome home.”

You laugh softly as he steps forward and immediately wraps his arms around your waist. The familiar scent of him settles around you before he presses a kiss against your cheek. Your heart melts despite yourself.

“What's going on?” you ask suspiciously.

Felix only looks more pleased with himself. He takes your hand before you can interrogate him further. “I prepared something for us tonight.”

You narrow your eyes at him. “Really?”

He doesn't answer. Which somehow makes you even more curious. Instead, he takes your bag from your shoulder and hangs it neatly beside your jacket on the coat rack. Then he reaches into his jeans pocket and pulls out an eye mask.

You shake your head immediately. “No. Absolutely not.”

His laugh fills the apartment. “C'mon…” he sweetly coaxes.

You squint your eyes at him. “You're being suspicious.”

He squints back. “I know.”

Eventually, you lose the battle. Mostly because he's smiling at you like that. With a dramatic sigh, you nod. “Okay. Fine.”

You feel him step closer before the soft fabric settles over your eyes. Darkness immediately swallows everything.

“Can you see?”

“No.”

“Perfect.”

“You sound too happy.”

“Because I am,” he says and then his laughter echoes through the apartment.

A second later, his hand finds yours. He holds it tightly as he begins guiding you through the apartment. The other hand resting lightly against your back.

You know the layout almost as well as he does now. Which means after a few turns, you already have a pretty good idea where he's taking you. It’s the bedroom.

Mmh… interesting.

A moment later he stops walking. His fingers brush your cheek as he carefully lifts the eye mask.

You blink your eyes a few times to adjust them to the sudden light. And you notice it right away. A picnic set up on the bedroom floor. A blanket spread across the floor. Candles flickering around the room. Rose petals scattered on it. A dinner is already served there along with a glass of red wine. Everything warm and intimate and undeniably thoughtful.

“Oh, this is beautiful,” you coo with a hand clutching at your chest.

He looks at you as if he’s not assured by your whipped reaction. “Do you like it?”

You nod and then look at him. “I love it.”

The smile that spreads across his face is worth everything. Without thinking, you step forward and softly kiss him. When you pull back, he's smiling so hard his eyes are nearly disappearing.

“You romantic guy!” you say accusingly with affectionate tone.

You notice the way his ear reddening. But he only laughs and shakes his head in reaction.

You look down at picnic set-up and only then you notice that there’s only one plate of dinner and a glass of wine. “Wait, are we sharing the dinner or…?”

Felix immediately starts laughing.

You look between him and the dinner. Then back at him. “Did you spend your entire food budget on the wedding?”

His laughter gets louder. “No.”

“Then where's your dinner?”

He takes a step back and points toward the wall. “The other side.”

“The other side?” you ask in confusion.

“My dinner is on the other side of the wall,” he further explains. "Cause I wanted us to have another pod date.”

Everything just clicked in that moment. And this is just so unexpected. And oh, such a thoughtful thinking! For a moment, you’re at a loss of words and just stand there in silence.

Felix shifts his weight to one side. A hand rubs the back of his neck. “I thought maybe... With everything going on lately, it'd be nice to take a step back for a night.”

Your heart is suddenly flooded with warm feelings. Because he's right. You haven't really had this in a while. With the real world happening around you, you’re slowly forgetting the importance of keeping the emotional connection. And more importantly, how to nurture it

You lean forward and kiss him again. “I love this.”

He tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. “I’m glad,” he simply, humbly says.

He keeps holding your hand as he points toward the blanket. “Why don’t you sit down and I’ll go to the other side.”

“Okay,” you say, lowering yourself onto the floor, sitting with your legs folded under you.

Felix bends down and kisses your forehead before stepping out of the bedroom and goes to the other side of the wall.

While you wait for him to settle, you pick up your wine and take a sip.

“Hello?” Felix's voice filters through the wall exactly like it used to.

Somehow, you’re blown away by the voice one more. A laugh escapes you immediately. “It’s still unfair.”

“What?” he innocently asks.

“The voice.”

You can practically hear his smile from the other side of the wall.

“So, how are you?”

You shake your head, smiling into your wine glass. “Well, obviously, there’s a lot happening with the wedding. But I’m good.

“Yeah.”

“But I'm trying really hard not to make it like… crazy stressful.”

You hear a soft hum of agreement from his side. “What about you? How are you?”

A beat passes in silence before he answers, “I'm okay.”

The honesty in his voice makes you smile. “Still nervous?”

“A little.”

You chuckle at that and you understand that a little too well. “Same.”

“But as long as you're there, I'll be fine.”

You laugh outright and then roll your eyes. “Ugh. Cheesy.”

His laughter joins yours through the wall.

You glance down at the plate in front of you and can’t help yourself anymore. “Can we eat while we talk? Cause I’m starting to drool here.”

“Of course, babe.”

You don't need a second invitation. You immediately cut into the steak and the second you take a bite, you hum in delight. The meat is tender and juicy, perfectly seasoned. As expected from a chef.

A laugh sounds from the other side of the wall. “That good, huh?”

“So good," you dramatically emphasize.

You take another bite and then a forkful of mashed potatoes next. It’s soft and creamy, melt in your mouth. And this time, you groan.

“What is it this time?” Felix asks with a playful, exhausted tone.

“The mashed potato,” you pause to groan again. “It's offensive how good this is.”

Felix laughs deeply, amused. “I'm taking that as a compliment.”

“You should.”

You continue eating happily and you can hear the soft clink of cutlery reaches you from the other side of the wall. Felix is eating too.

Together, you’re connected by nothing but conversation and somehow it feels exactly right. “Thank you for this,” you softly say.

“For dinner?”

“For everything.”

The room falls silent for a second. Then his voice comes back softer. “It's my pleasure.”

You smile to yourself, take another sip of wine and for the first time in what feels like weeks, the wedding stress quiets down. It's just you and Felix, talking through a wall. And falling in love all over again.

-

YOU: I think with work and real life and wedding planning, it's been easy to get caught up in everything we need to do. And lately, we've been so busy doing all those things that we haven't really gotten to just be... us. So having this pod date again was really nice. It reminded me why I fell in love with him in the first place. [smiles]

-

Felix barely finishes half his dinner. The steak is gone and most of the mashed potatoes too. But his appetite has disappeared somewhere between the first glass of wine and the conversation looming over his head.

Now he's nursing the remainder of his drink, intently listening to the soft sounds coming from the other side of the wall. The comfortable silence of someone enjoying a meal. The sound of… you.

A small smile tugs at his mouth. Even separated by a wall, he can picture exactly what you're doing. Sitting cross-legged and probably making pleased little noises every time you take another bite. The thought settles warmly in his chest. Then the warmth twists into nerves. Because he knows he can't keep avoiding this. Not anymore.

Eventually, the sounds of your eating begin to slow. Felix glances down at his own half-finished plate. Then carefully sets it aside. He shifts across the floor until his back is resting against the wall. The same wall you're sitting against on the other side. Close. Yet somehow impossibly far.

He draws in a slow breath. “Done eating?”

A beat later, your voice coming through the wall. “I'm currently licking the plate clean.”

Felix laughs despite himself. “That’s… adorable,” he says in a rather confused tone.

“It's a compliment to the chef.”

“And I accept it happily.”

A comfortable silence settles between you. Normally, he'd let it linger. But tonight, tonight he can't. His fingers tighten around his wine glass. “Can I ask you something?”

“Always.”

Always. The word should make this easier. It doesn't. “How are you feeling about the wedding?”

The silence that follows stretches longer this time. When you finally answer, your voice sounds low, almost like a whisper. “Honestly?”

“Honestly.”

You exhale air for a second. “I'm still kind of reeling.”

Felix smiles faintly. “Yeah?”

A small laugh escapes you. “I didn't plan any of this. I didn’t even let myself imagine I’d be here. Getting married soon.”

He closes his eyes. Neither did he.

Your voice drifts through the wall. “I mean... living together has been surprisingly easy. But I figure that's partly because you work late which give me enough space to just… do my thing. To be alone with my thoughts.”

Felix nods to himself because that sounds like you. Always needing little pockets of quiet. Little places to breathe.

“And that helped me adjust,” you continue and then, your voice gets quieter as you add, “But the idea of permanently giving up my personal space still haunts me sometimes.”

Felix can’t help but laugh. The sound echoes off the wall.

You immediately groan. “Don't laugh.”

“I'm sorry.”

“No, you're not.” Your laughter joins his anyway and the tension eases slightly.

“I’m okay if you want us to have separate bedrooms,” he easily offers.

“That’s actually a good idea,” you say, sounding a little cheerful now.

Felix playfully scoffs, feigning offence.

You break into laughter. “I mean, imagine me saying ‘I’ll be staying in my man’s room tonight’. I think that’s cute.”

His smile grows, stupidly and hopelessly. He rests his head back against the wall. A brief silence follows afterward. “What about you?” you ask from the other side. “How are you feeling?”

The question lands exactly where he knew it would. Heavy and inevitable. His smile slowly fades from his small face. The wall suddenly feels too thin to hide behind, too thin to protect him.

“I'm excited.” The answer comes easily because it's true but Felix quietly swallows air. “I want to marry you. I want to build a life with you.”

Also true. Every word. Every single one.

“But…?” your voice is gentle, but the tone is teasing.

Felix closes his eyes. “But lately... I haven't been able to fully enjoy that feeling.”

It gets quiet again and it’s probably because you didn’t think that there’ll be a real ‘but’. But then your small, low voice comes through the wall. “Why?”

The question nearly breaks him. Because he knows exactly why. Because he's been carrying it around for weeks. Because every day he waited made it worse. Because every day he waited made him feel less like the man you believed him to be.

Felix places his wine glass down because his hands are shaking now. He presses them together. “Because I haven't been fully honest with you.”

Nothing. No response. It’s just silence that answers him. He can practically feel your confusion through the wall and it makes his chest aches.

“I just want you to know that…” his throat tightens. “I didn't mean to deceive you. I didn't mean to lie.”

The words keep coming now, messy and raw. But honest. “I just thought it didn't matter much. Because they were in the past. I thought it’d be better to keep it in the past.”

He rubs his palms against his jeans. His eyes sting. “But knowing you, listening the part of you that you openly shared. The hard stuff. The painful stuff,” his voice cracks in between words. “And I realized that I wasn't doing the same.”

The silence on the other side becomes deafening. Felix can almost picture you listening and waiting, probably holding your breath too while wondering where this conversation goes. He takes another shaky inhale. Then another. He has to say it. He has to.

“I've been in relationships before,” he finally admits, but not fully,

He takes another shaky inhale and feels his body trembling with anxiety and the words feel sour on the tip of his tongue. “And each one is meaningful to me. They helped me shape who I became.”

His fingers curl into the denim of his jeans. His heartbeat pounds. And before he can stop himself. Before he can lose his nerve, he says it. All at once.

“I've dated… both… women and men.”

Silence. Complete silence. The room feels suddenly enormous and impossibly small. The weight he'd been carrying finally slips from his shoulders. But relief doesn't come with it.

Felix stares at the ceiling, unable to breathe, to move.  Unable to hear anything except his own heartbeat. Then he forces himself to continue. “I'm bisexual.”

The words hang in the space between you and neither of you speaks afterward. A moment passes and then another. Then another. The silence stretches, heavy and uncomfortable. Felix dares himself to be the one who breaks it. “Are you still there?” he asks, his voice barely sounds like his own.

There’s a long pause until you finally answer, “Yeah. I’m here.”

Relief crashes into him so hard it almost hurts. But your next words make his stomach drop. “I'm just confused.”

Felix closes his eyes. Of course you are.

“Why didn't you tell me?”

The question isn't angry. It’s just pure confusion and disbelief. Like you didn’t expect it from him. “I...” he begins and stops. Then starts again, “I didn't know how.”

“Why?” Your voice remains soft, but the question comes with edges. “Did I— Did I make you feel like you couldn't tell me?”

The tears arrive before he realizes they're coming. His vision blurs. His chest tightens painfully. “No. You didn’t.”

His voice shakes as another tear slides down his cheek. “This isn't your fault. It’s me.”

He wipes his eyes with the heel of his hand. “I was scared. I was scared that you’d see me differently. I was scared it'd change things.”

The confession hurts more than anything else. More tears fall from his doe eyes. “I was scared that I’d lose this. That I'd lose you.”

The words crack as soon as they leave his mouth and gone in between. Silence. Just silence. And somehow that terrifies him most of all. Because for the first time since meeting you, he has absolutely no idea what comes next.

-

FELIX: What scared me wasn't telling her who I am. It was the possibility that after she knew, she'd see me differently. [cries] I've had people make assumptions before. I've had people decide who I was before I could explain myself. [sniffles] And maybe that's why I waited too long. If she walks away because I kept this from her, I'd understand that. But if I lose her... that would break my heart.

-

You sit there for a long time after Felix stops talking with the dinner sits forgotten and your wine has gone untouched. And all you can hear is your own breathing and your own thoughts trying to catch up, trying to make sense of everything.

The confession itself isn't what hurts. It's the realization that he's been carrying this alone for weeks—months, maybe—he's been holding his breath around you. That while you've been building a life together, he's been walking around with this fear tucked deep inside his chest.

Of course you're blindsided. Of course part of you wishes he had told you sooner and not when it’s five days left to the wedding. The timing stings and you won't lie to yourself about that.

But the longer you sit there, the more understanding you become. Because you know what it's like to carry something painful and ugly and convincing yourself that if someone knew, they'd leave. You know what it's like to expect abandonment before it even happens and suddenly your heart starts breaking for him. Not because of the truth he’s told you. But of how terrified he was to tell you.

A tear slips down your cheek and then another. And before long, you're quietly crying into the silence of the room. But what worse is the thought of Felix sitting on the other side of the wall, waiting and preparing himself for the worst. So you wipe your face, take a shaky breath and another until you calmed down enough. Then slowly push yourself to your feet.

The apartment feels strangely quiet that you can hear your own bare feet move across the floor and out of the bedroom, toward the other side of the wall. Toward him.

You find him exactly where you imagined, sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. His Head bowed low. His arms wrapped around himself. And God, he looks so small and fragile. As though he's already mourning something that hasn't happened yet. As though he's already convinced himself he's lost you. He eventually senses your presence and slowly lifts his head. Your heart shatters when you see his face is scrunched with sadness. Eyes red. Cheeks wet. Entirely vulnerable and terrified.

For a second neither of you move. Just stare at each other. Then without thinking, you approach and drop down beside him. you don’t wait but throw your arms around him. Felix lets out a broken sound, almost like a sob, almost like relief. And then his arms wrap around you too, desperately tight like he’s afraid you’d slip away.

For a moment, the two of you stay like that, clinging to each other. No words. Just emotions. Just months of fear finally unraveling. You don't know how long you stay like that but it’s long enough for the tears to slow and your breathing to steady. Eventually you pull back just enough to look at him and with your eyes still blurry with tears, you see his eyes are swollen, his nose tinged pink and his cheeks damp with tears. And despite all of it, you love him so much it hurts.

Carefully, you brush his hair away from his forehead. Your fingers slide through the soft strands. Then gently wipe another tear from beneath his eye. He holds your gaze and just let you comfort him, soothe him with touches. His breathing still stutters but he’s calmed down enough.

You swallow air as you look at him with your hand cupping his jaw. “You should’ve told me sooner.”

Felix’s lips tremble as tears begin pooling in his eyes again. Then he nods, admitting his fault.

Your hand remains cupped against his cheek and you try not to stumble as you continue, “You must've been in so much pain carrying this by yourself.”

Felix immediately looks away. A rough hand drags across his face as though he's trying to hide how much that affects him. As though he doesn't deserve your sympathy.

You don't let him retreat. You gently cup his face with both hands, patiently waiting until he finally looks back at you. When he does, you give him the gentlest smile, filled with every ounce of love you possess.

“But you know what? I still love you,” you mutter, the words quivering in the air with how much emotions they’re carrying.

His face immediately crumples as your own tears return.

You shake your head and add, “This changes nothing,” you assure him, thumbs brush against his cheeks. “I love you. I really do.”

A watery laugh escapes you. “If anything… I love you even more for finally being honest with me.”

Felix closes his eyes but it only sends more tears rolling down his cheeks.

You press your forehead against his, keeping him close and grounded. “You're still the same man I fell in love with.”

You smile through your tears and add softly, “The same man I'm still choosing.”

The last piece of his composure breaks at that because all of a sudden, he looks overwhelmed by the fact that you're still here. And you stay there with him, repeatedly muttering, ‘I love you’ to him because you want him to know that you’re still here, you’re still touching him and loving him the same.

Unable to speak, Felix nods in answer.

To assure him more, you kiss his cheek. Then the corner of his eye. Then rest your forehead against his once more. “I'm not going anywhere.”

Your voice is barely above a whisper. “I'm right here.”

For a second, he simply stares at you. Then his arms wrap around you again and this time he hides his face in your shoulder. A sob escapes him, raw and relieved. You hold him tighter with a hand buried in his hair. The other rubbing soothing circles across his back. And you let him cry. You let him grieve every fear he's been carrying. Because you're still here and you're not going anywhere. Not after choosing each other every day until this point. Not after falling in love. Not after everything.

-

YOU: Of course I felt blindsided. He waited until five days before the wedding. [softly sighs] And I wish he would've trusted me sooner. But at the same time... I kind of understood why. I know what it's like to be scared someone will leave once they know everything about you. [tears up] And honestly, all I could think about was how lonely he must've felt carrying that around by himself. [cries] [sighs] I still love him. He's still the same man I fell in love with. [nods] [smiles]

-

MORNING OF BACHELOR/BACHELORETTE PARTY

The apartment is quiet except for the occasional tap of your fingers against your laptop keyboard. Your coffee sits forgotten beside you, half-finished and cold by now. Your attention is fixed entirely on the screen in front of you. He notices that little crease appears between your brows when you’re concentrating and the way your lower lips disappears between your teeth when you're focusing on something.

Felix has never been good at waiting and definitely not when the possibility of losing something precious is sitting in the back of his mind, whispering all the worst-case scenarios. Because tomorrow, somehow, impossibly, is the wedding.

Tomorrow. The word still feels unreal. He rises from the couch and wanders into the kitchen. He grabs a glass from the cupboard and fills it with water. The sound pulls your attention away as you glance over your shoulder. Your face softens when you find his face. “Morning, baby.”

“Morning,” he greets back and takes the seat beside you. Slowly, he leans over and presses a soft kiss against your cheek.

You hum happily in reaction.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

“Just tidying up a few things with the business,” you answer, eyes drifting back to the screen.

Felix wraps both hands around his glass. Then proceeds to completely ignore it. Because instead of drinking the water, he's watching you simply existing as yourself and as the woman he loves.

A few more minutes pass before you finally shut the laptop. “Done?”

“Done,” you confirm, but your hand is reaching for your phone next. A second later, a grin spreads across your face.

Felix can't help smiling back. “What?”

“It's Morgan,” you say with your eyes locked on your phone screen. “She’s excited about the bachelorette party tonight.”

He softly chuckles at that and puts his arm over the back of your chair. “What about you? Are you excited?” he asks.

"Yeah, I am," you answer with a smile. You tuck one leg beneath yourself on the chair. “Mostly excited to see the girls and have lots of fun with them.”

Felix should be excited for you too but the thought of you having fun without him making him feel a little down.

You tilt your head to the side. “Aren’t you excited for your bachelor party?”

The truth is, he doesn’t think much on it. Yeah, he’s excited to meet the guys and have fun with them, but actually, he’d love it more if you’re there too.

Before he can form an answer, your expression changes because you've always been good at reading him. Your face dims just a little. Your hand reaches for his on his lap. “What is it?”

Felix laughs softly. A sound without much humor behind it. “Nothing.”

"Felix, baby,” you gently call but edged with concern, “you seem so uptight.”

He looks away and then he looks down. Then he intertwines his fingers together with yours. And suddenly the anxiety he's been trying to ignore all morning becomes impossible to hide. He exhales before speaking. “I know the wedding is soon. But I… I just need to know where your head’s at.”

For a moment, you simply stare at him. Then a small laugh escapes you, surprised. “Oh.”

You lean back in your chair, taking a moment to think and somehow, that makes him nervous. Because he expects certainty, he expects you to smile and tell him everything is perfect.

Instead, you chew on your bottom lip and taking a moment longer to think. “I don't know…” you honestly share.

Felix feels like his heart just dropped to his stomach. But before panic can fully settle in, you're already shaking your head. “It has nothing to do with you. Or my independence. Or our living situation,” you explain while squeezing his hand. “It's just..."

You glance down and softly exhale air. “The thought of walking down an aisle tomorrow and committing my entire life to someone makes me feel like throwing up."

Felix lightly chuckles at that and he understands it. Especially coming from you. Weeks ago, you didn’t expect to meet a man, let alone getting married. But he can’t ignore that tinge of pain in your answer. He knows it’s his fault for expecting a definite answer from you in the first place.

For a moment, neither of you speak. Then you look at him and squeeze his hand again. “I don't want to hurt your feelings. I just want to stay honest. Especially with you.”

It’s like you read his mind and now, you come up with all the words he needed to hear. “If we're going to get married. Then I think it's important that we keep telling each other the truth. No matter how painful that is,” you further share with an apologetic smile.

Felix nods in agreement and of course, he respect your answer. And more importantly, he appreciates you for being honest. Because he's living proof of that. He turns toward you completely and takes your hand in both of his. And finally says the thing that's been sitting inside him all day.

“Well, I just want you to know that…” he pauses to deeply gaze into your eyes. “I'm ready to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

You steadily hold his gaze with a faint smile tugging at your lips.

“I want to build a life with you,” he continues, thumb rubbing the back of your hand. “And I want to be your husband so badly.”

The words hang between you, honest and hopeful. You reach for his jaw and look at him the same way you always do when you're trying to reassure him. “You know I love you.”

Felix does know. But hearing it never gets old. Hearing it makes his heart aches in the best way. Yet even as relief washes through him, a tiny piece of fear remains stubbornly lodged inside his chest.

Tomorrow changes everything. Or maybe it changes nothing. Maybe tomorrow is simply the two of you choosing each other again the way you've been doing every day since this began.

But fear isn't always logical and love isn't always fearless. Sometimes love is sitting across from someone while your heart pounds in your chest and choosing them anyway. And as your thumb brushes softly across his cheek, Felix decides that's exactly what he's going to do.

Tomorrow, he's going to choose you. Again.

-

FELIX: I thought she'd know by now. [softly laughs] I thought she'd already have her answer. But maybe that's not how this works. [rubs his neck] I'm just scared. Because now that I know what it feels like to love her... the thought of losing her is terrifying.

-

The moment the limousine pulls up outside the apartment complex, Morgan is already squealing. The long black vehicle barely comes to a stop before she throws both hands into the air and cheering non-stop even as she gets into the car. You can't help laughing as you climb inside after them. The interior is luxurious. Soft leather seats. Colored lights. A stocked mini bar. Enough space to fit all of you comfortably.

“Wow. This is super,” you mutter in awe.

“We’re getting married tomorrow, ladies!” Morgan declares dramatically.

Everyone bursts into laughter while you shiver slightly at the reminder.

The driver hasn't even pulled away yet when Morgan reaches for a bottle of champagne. “Should she be doing that?” you ask.

Laura looks at you with wide eyes and then nods. “Yes!”

Morgan pops the cork anyway and the loud pop echoes through the limousine. Everyone screams as champagne immediately starts spilling everywhere.

“Watch the dress!” Sonya shrieks.

“Morgan!” you hiss.

Morgan laughs so hard she nearly drops the bottle. She doesn’t seem to care, but quickly fill the flutes with the bubbly wine and Laura distributes it to everyone.

The ride quickly turns into chaos as more champagne gets poured and the music gets louder. Someone starts singing and slurring the lyrics, someone forgot it completely.  Nobody cares.

By the time the limousine reaches the venue, Morgan is definitely tipsy. Laura isn't far behind. You step out laughing while still holding your champagne flute.

The club itself looks incredible. Reserved entirely for the bachelorette party. But none of that is what catches your attention. Because the second you enter, you immediately recognize the people waiting inside.

“No way.” You gasp in disbelief.

A familiar laugh reaches your ears. Your cousin looks up first. Then your friends. They’re all waving and smiling at you. You half jog to meet them and throw your arms around them. Everyone talking at once. exchanging hugs and cheek kisses. 

Your cousin nearly loses her balance by the way you throw yourself at her. “Careful!”

“I'm sorry!”

“No, come here!”

You hug her again anyway. “It’s so good to see you taking the night off from taking care of the baby.”

She leans in close and whispers, “Me too.”

You laugh at that and keep your arm around her.

The friends and families from the other girls are also here so introductions happen and more drinks appear. Eventually, everyone scattered into smaller groups and you’re with your own.

You and your friends and cousin occupying the vinyl booth and as soon as everyone seated, the interrogation begins immediately.

What dates in pods were like? Were you scared? How did you know it was him? What happened after the proposal? How was the honeymoon? What's living together like?

The questions come so quickly you barely have time to answer. You find yourself laughing through most of it, trying to explain something that still feels impossible. Because even now, it still doesn't feel real that you met a man you’re going to marry through an experiment.

At one point your cousin grabs your hand. “Can I see the ring again?”

“Of course,” you say, letting her inspect the ring nestled on your finger.

Your cousin moves your hand and the diamond catches the light. The glint immediately drawing everyone's attention.

“Oh, that’s beautiful,” your friend comments as the ring gets inspected from every possible angle.

Eventually one of your friends settles back into her seat. Her expression softening as she carefully asks, “How are you feeling?”

The question makes you pause for a moment. Because the truth is complicated. You glance down at your engagement ring, turning it slightly and watching it sparkle.

“It feels crazy,” you honestly share.

Everyone nods immediately. “Yeah. It is crazy.”

You laugh while holding your heating cheeks from the alcohol you consumed. “I didn't plan any of this. I mean, a few weeks ago I wasn't even thinking about marriage. And now...”

You glance around the table and everyone is looking at you. “And he’s here. And he’s just so… perfect.”

You hear the collective coo from everyone and it makes your smile grows wider. Then you admit the harder part. “Honestly, I’m scared. Because it’s all happening in such a short amount of time,” you pause and take a sip of your drink. “I think I’m still reeling and processing all of it.”

That earns quieter reactions and more understanding ones. Your closest friends exchange looks. One of them nods. “That makes sense.”

“You've always been fiercely independent.”

They know. They've known you for years and known how much you protect your space, your solitude and your freedom.

One of them points a finger at you. “If you'd told me six months ago you'd be getting married, I'd have laughed in your face.”

The entire table bursts into laughter. Because it's true. It’s very uncharacteristic of you, completely unlike anything you ever imagined for yourself. And yet, here you are, one day away from becoming someone's wife. Probably.

The thought sends a nervous flutter through your stomach. You quickly take another sip of your drink and drain it empty. Before you can swallow it, you wave a hand to order another one.

As the new round of drinks come, everyone initiates a toast for you and you cheer loudly, guessing that the alcohol is slowly taking over you.

The night carries on and more drinks appear. The dance floor fills. At some point, the strippers come out to entertain all the bride-to-be with provocative dance moves. Morgan nearly falls out of her chair laughing while your cousin is crying from laughter watching you getting a lap dance.

Laura becomes everyone's problem. Because after approximately one too many drinks, she suddenly decides she loves everyone and starts kissing them. Soon she's making her way around the entire party, kissing more people on the cheeks and foreheads. Anything within reach.

And for the first time in days, maybe weeks, you stop thinking about tomorrow and simply enjoy tonight.

-

YOU: I've been trying really hard not to think about it as my last night before the wedding. Because if I do that... [chuckles] I'll probably spiral. So tonight, I’m just going to focus on spending time with friends and family. And the girls [grins]

-

The gentleman's club is exactly what Felix imagined a bachelor party venue would look like. The interior is mostly dark with soft amber lighting. Leather armchairs arranged around the space. Expensive liquor displayed behind a polished bar.

The low hum of conversation blending with quiet jazz playing through hidden speakers. There are pool tables, poker tables and an entire menu dedicated to premium steaks. There’s no need for loud music or strippers. Just a bunch of men drinking, eating, and pretending they're far more sophisticated than they actually are.

Felix is standing beside one of the pool tables with a cue in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other. Across from him, Marco lines up his shot. Jensen stands beside him, already criticizing his technique. “Your elbow's wrong.”

“My elbow is fine.”

Marco groans while Felix laughs into his drink. Nothing changes. Not even tomorrow's wedding seems capable of changing the way his friends bicker.

The ball clacks against another and misses the pocket entirely. Jensen immediately throws both hands into the air. “There it is!”

Marco points the cue at him. “You're banned from giving advice.”

Across the room, Rob is attempting to teach his brother how to play poker and it seems to be not going well. Meanwhile Jim sits at another table looking absurdly serious. Like he's actually betting a million-dollar on it instead of playing with plastic chips.

Shane leans over Felix's shoulder. “Think Jim knows this isn't real money?”

“No.”

“I don't think he does either.”

Both of them watch Jim dramatically push chips into the center of the table. The entire room bursts out laughing, including Jim. Though only after he realizes everyone is laughing at him.

Felix shakes his head, then turns back toward his friends. And finds Marco gives him that look again.

“Ask nice things only!” Felix warns him with eyes squinted.

“I was just going to ask how's married life?” Marco says with a grin.

Felix snorts. “I'm not married yet.”

“Close enough.”

Felix rolls his eyes and Jensen joins in.

“So?” Marco presses.

The grin appears before Felix can stop it. Because talking about you is easy. Always. “It’s great. She's great. We’re great,” he says with a smile that he can’t contain anymore.

Marco groans dramatically. “See? He got that smile on him.”

“What?” Felix acts oblivious.

“The in-love smile,” Jensen points out.

Felix’s face feels warm. Maybe from the whiskey. Maybe not.

"What else can I say? She’s exactly what I was looking for," he says, and this time he means it with his whole chest. “So, living with her has been really great.”

“You guys adjusted that quickly?” Jensen curiously asks.

Felix nods. “Yeah. Though she did tell me she's never lived with a man before.”

That catches both of them off guard. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

Jensen looks surprised as Marco lowly whistles. “That's kind of a big deal.”

“It was and she was nervous about it,” Felix answers, chuckling softly. “Actually, she was nervous about everything.”

“To be fair, getting married is a terrifying concept,” Marco says as he stares at the pool table.

“Because you're single,” Felix easily points out.

“Exactly.”

Everyone laughs.

Felix takes another sip of his drink. Then continues. “She'd never even brought anyone to meet her parent before.”

Both of them freeze. “What?”

“So you’re the first guy she took to…?” Jensen runs out of words.

Felix nods in confirmation and smiles proudly. “The first guy.”

Jensen looks genuinely stunned. “Okay. That’s interesting.”

Then Marco asks the inevitable question. The one everyone's been asking all week. “Are you ready for tomorrow?”

Felix looks down at the amber liquid in his glass. Then back up. And to his surprise, the answer comes easily. “Yeah.”

There’s no hesitation, only certainty as he says it again. “Yeah. I’m ready.”

He takes a small sip of his drink and then smiles. “It's all I've ever wanted.”

Both friends soften immediately. Because they know him, they know how long he's wanted this. A partner. A home. A family. A life shared with someone.

“The whole reason I signed up for this experiment was because I wanted to find my person. And I did,” he concludes with a smile.

Marco reaches over, grabs the back of his neck and pulls him into a rough one-armed hug. “Proud of you, man.”

Jensen raises his glass and adds, “And we’re happy for you.”

All of a sudden, Felix’s chest feels warm and comfortably full. “Thank you, guys,” he sincerely says to both of them.

The three clink glasses, a silence toast to this tender moment.

Then Marco immediately ruins the moment. “Now stop being emotional and beat me at pool.”

Felix puts down his drink and grabs his cue. “Okay, okay, okay.”

The game resumes and the night gets louder. And somehow the hours disappear. The closer the night gets to ending, the closer tomorrow becomes. The closer tomorrow becomes, the more real it all feels. Tomorrow is the wedding and the beginning of everything.

-

FELIX: It was nice. Just spending the night with the boys and friends. They've seen me through a lot. [laughs] And tomorrow... [exhales] Tomorrow I'm getting married. It still sounds crazy. But it feels right. Just one more night. And then hopefully… she'll be my wife. [smiles]

-

WEDDING DAY

The bridal suite is empty and quiet when you get there. And that’s good. It gives you time and space to decompress and process everything.

You sit by the window with your hands folded in your lap, staring out at the garden where rows of white chairs have already been arranged beneath the morning sun. From up here everything looks beautiful like it belongs in someone else's life. Except that it’s yours. Because today is your wedding day.

The realization lands differently every few minutes. It makes you smile and then your stomach twists in the next moment. Another moment later, you feel like crying for no reason at all.

You don't know how long you've been sitting there, lost in your own thoughts, when the door suddenly creaks open. You get a little startled but immediately comforted when your mom appears.

Your mother smiles as she steps inside. “Hey, honey,” she greets, setting her handbag on a nearby table before walking over to you.

You stand automatically and the hug comes just as naturally. Her warm arms wrapped around you and then a kiss pressed to your cheek. You can smell the scent of her perfume that gives you a sense of comfort, of home. For a second you close your eyes and simply let yourself be held. Then she pulls back and guides you both onto the sofa beneath the window.

Silence settles between for a brief moment until your mother reaches for your hand, her wrinkled fingers curl around yours. “How are you feeling?”

The question shouldn't be difficult. You've been asked it a hundred times over the last few weeks. But sitting here with your mother makes the answer feel different. Because there’s no way you hide or lie about your feeling to her. You stare down at your intertwined hands and honestly answer, “I'm nervous.”

She squeezes gently and softly smiles. “That's normal.”

You laugh quietly, a little shaky on the edges. “I didn't think I'd see this day so soon.”

You glance toward the garden again and shake your head. “I’m feeling a lot of emotions right now. I’m happy. I’m excited. But there’s a part of me that’s very terrified.”

That earns a small smile from her. “A little fear is normal too.”

You nod, but there's more to it. The words sit heavy inside your chest and eventually they find their way out.

“Even a little part of me that may feel a little unsure,” you meekly add.

The room grows still. Your mother doesn't pull away. She simply tightens her hold on your hand. “Really?”

The concern in her voice is so gentle that it breaks something inside you. Your eyes sting with tears and your lower lips trembles. You look away but the tears come anyway. Hot and uninvited.

Your mother shifts closer immediately, putting a hand on the small of your back. “Don't cry, baby.”

But that only makes it worse. Because you've spent your entire life trying to be strong and independent, trying to be the person who doesn't need anyone. And now here you are, hours away from possibly becoming someone's wife. The thought feels so huge and overwhelming.

“I just—" Your voice cracks as more tears spill with the confession. “I love him. And that's what scares me. Because if I didn't care this much, it would be easy."

The image of Felix flashes through your mind. His laugh. His smile. The way he cares for you and the way he lets you care for him. The way he looks at you like you've hung every star in the sky yourself.

“I don't know what to do with that,” you manage to say with a lump lodged in your throat.

Your mother watches you the way mothers do. Like she's seeing every version of you all at once. The little girl. The teenager. The woman sitting beside her now.

"You know, being brave doesn't mean you're not scared," she softly says.

You look at her with your eyes blurry with tears.

“It means you're scared and you do it anyway.”

More tears spill over and you hate how emotional you feel. But today feels bigger than yourself somehow. Bigger than all the walls you've spent years building around your heart.

Your mother reaches up and brushes a strand of hair behind your ear. “Whatever happens today,” she says with a warm smile, “I know you'll make the right choice.”

The tears keep falling, but breathing feels a little easier afterward. Not because you suddenly know the answer. Because you don’t feel alone in it and maybe that’s enough for now.

-

YOU: Felix has made me feel unlike any man that I’ve ever known. We truly and honestly connected on a very deep level. But right now, I’m still undecided. [softly exhales] I think I won’t really say anything until the word is out of my mouth. And regardless of what the decision is, I hope it’s best decision for me [nods] and Felix.

-

For weeks, there has always been something happening. Whether it’s family visits, wedding fittings, preparing details for the wedding. And now there is nothing left to prepare or organize. All he has to do now is waiting.

Felix sits on the edge of a leather armchair, elbows resting on his knees as he stares at the polished floor. The suit wedding suits hang perfectly on his frame. His shoes are shined. His hair is done. Everything is ready, except his mind. His leg bounces restlessly as he thinks about today and the possibility that he will either walk out of this venue married to the woman he loves— or alone.

The thought makes his stomach twist. He leans back in the chair and drags a hand over his face. God. He wishes he knew what was going through your head right now because now, the only thing that keeps replaying in his mind is the last conversation the two of you had and the way you'd admitted that you were still nervous, still figuring it out. He told himself he respected that but now he’s sitting here, alone with his thoughts, it is slowly driving him insane.

Thankfully, the knocking on the door stops him from spiraling further. Before he can answer, the door opens just enough or a head full of brown curls pops in.

“Please tell me you're not having a panic attack already,” Marco says with a grin.

The sight of his best friend somehow makes the room feel less empty and his head a little quieter.  Marco closes the door behind him and walks over.

The two of them meet halfway for a quick hug and a clap on the back. The kind of greeting that comes naturally after years of friendship.

When they pull apart, Marco studies him. “So, how are we feeling?”

Felix drops back into his chair as a long sigh leaves him. And honestly, he's too tired to pretend. “I've been calm this whole time.”

Marco nods. “And?”

Felix lets his head fall back. “Well, until today,” he admits. “And now, I feel a little nervous.”

Marco pulls out the chair beside him and sits. “What are you nervous about?”

Felix leans back on his chair and sighs. “Whether she still wants to marry me.”

Marco doesn't rush to fill the silence, doesn’t offer sympathy, but simply nods. Because there really isn't anything else to say. At the end of the day, nobody knows except you.

The room falls quiet again. Then Marco's eyes drift toward the refreshments set up near the wall. “Those drinks are for us, right?”

Felix follows his gaze, to the table stocked with coffee, juice, pastries, bottled water and wine. He breaks into laughter. “Yeah.”

Marco stands up, and sauntering his way to the table of refreshment. “Great. Cause we really need that.”

Felix narrows his eyes. “Don’t you think it’s too early for that?”

Marco already has a bottle in hand. “Come on, it’s your wedding day. It’s for the nerves.”

Felix watches in disbelief as his friend uncorks it. But doing nothing to stop him. The next thing he knows, two wine glasses are filled and Marco hands one over.

Felix accepts it despite himself and the glass lightly clinks against his own.

Marco raises his and makes a dramatic toast. “To Felix. Getting off the market soon.”

Felix groans while Marco bursts out laughing. A second later, their glasses clinking anyway and the tension eases.

The wine tastes surprisingly good. Or maybe he's just desperate for something to do besides think. He stays there, sitting with his drink and trying to process everything in a calm manner now.

One wedding. One life-changing decision only hours away. And for the first time all morning, Felix feels himself breathe a little easier. Because no matter what happens today, he knows he's showing up honestly and completely himself. And maybe that's all he can do.

-

FELIX: Today is a really big day. [exhales] I don't think it's fully hit me yet. But I’m fully aware that getting married is going to change the trajectory not just my life, but also hers. We're standing at the edge of something huge. And despite how terrified I am... I still want it. [smiles] Now I just have to hope she wants it too.

-

The bridal suite feels completely different now. Earlier, it had been quiet. Just you and your thoughts and your nerves. But now, it’s a chaos of excited chatters and the hum of hairdryers with the scent of hairspray lingering in the air

Your friends who you chose as your bridesmaids are sitting next to you, getting their makeup done. Your cousin is taking pictures of absolutely everything with her baby nestled against her chest. Your mother keeps disappearing and reappearing as people fuss over dresses and accessories.

The energy is infectious and for a while, it helps to distract you. But obviously, the nerves are still there, but they’re manageable and quieter now.  You sit in front of the vanity while your hairstylist works carefully behind you. Combing and pinning, spraying. And then more spraying. When you see the mirror, it reflects a version of yourself that feels both familiar and strange.

Then your mother emerges from behind one of the dressing screens. The moment catches your attention immediately as she’s now dressed in the dress you specially made for her. She’s beautiful. The kind of beautiful that has nothing to do with clothes and everything to do with who she is.

The hairstylist notices where your attention has gone and pauses without complaint, giving you a moment.

You turn your head her way and smile. “Mom, you’re not supposed to look better than me,” you playfully tease.

A hand flies to her chest and her face scrunches, flustered. “Oh, stop,” she tells you, but she’s smiling.

Your gaze travels over her dress again. “But seriously, you look beautiful, mom."

Her eyes immediately start shining and that’s not good. Because if she cries, you're definitely crying. And neither of you can afford that right now.

The room collectively agrees as compliments start flying around. Your mother waves everyone off despite clearly loving every second of it. The chaos resumes and somehow the next hour disappears. One minute you're sitting in the makeup chair. The next, you're stepping into your wedding dress.

The staff carefully help guide the fabric into place, adjusting and fastening. And lastly, smoothing the fabric to show its full potential. The train pools behind you. The veil falls into place. And suddenly everyone gets quiet.

The attendant steps back, finished helping with the dress. You slowly lift your eyes and look into the mirror. For a second, you don't recognize yourself because that’s… a bride.

Breathe. Just breathe. In. Out. You can do this. You lift your gaze again and that's when you see your mother, already crying. A handkerchief gently pressed to her eyes, careful not to mess with the makeup. “My baby,” she whispers hoarsely.

The sight nearly takes you out. Your own eyes sting instantly and you notice that around the room, your friends are no better. Their phones are out as pictures are being taken from every angle and compliments fly at you from every direction. You laugh softly despite yourself, a little overwhelmed, emotional and also, terrified. Then somebody announces it's time and your heart shakes all over again.

The room springs into motion again. The attendant does last-minute adjustments. Your friend hands you your bouquet. Your cousin helps you with the veil. Once everything is checked and ready, you take your mother’s hand. Then together, you step into the hallway and toward the ceremony.

Every step feels heavier than the last because in each step, it brings you closer to a decision that will affect the rest of your life. And suddenly the reality of that feels impossible to ignore. Within the next hour, everything could change. Forever.

-

YOU: Marriage is a lifelong commitment. It's not something you play with. I take it very seriously. And that's probably why this is so hard. Because whatever decision I make today... I'm going to live with that decision for the rest of my life. Am I going to marry this man whom I have fallen in love with six weeks ago. Or am I going to walk away to follow my own comfort and things I know?

-

The suit fits perfectly. At least that's what everyone keeps telling him. Felix isn't paying enough attention to notice. The jacket sits comfortably on his shoulders. The tie is straight. The shoes are polished. Everything is exactly as it should be. Yet, he feels like he's floating several inches above the floor. Like his body arrived at the wedding venue but the rest of him is still trying to catch up.

The glass of wine in his hand is already half empty but he keeps holding it because it gives him something to do. He lets out a slow breath and glances around the groom's suite, inhaling and exhaling air. Because in less than an hour he'll be standing at the altar.

A soft knock sounds at the door snaps him out of his head. Felix looks up to find his mother stepping in, her face brightens the moment she sees him. The smile is warm as always but he notices the tinge of sadness in it.

Felix knows from the slight redness around her eyes and the shine lingering there. His chest softens at that, because he understands what a mother would feel at a moment like this. He’s not just a man getting married. To her, he’s still her son, her baby boy.

So instead of teasing her, he stands and crosses the room. And wraps her in a hug. Her arms instantly tighten around him and his tighten back. The embrace lasts longer than either of them planned. Neither seems particularly eager to let go.

Eventually they pull apart. His mother cups his cheek briefly, looking at him and for a second, Felix feels like he’s a child again. They move toward the sofa together, sitting side by side. His mother reaches over and smooths an invisible wrinkle from his sleeve.

“How are you doing, honey?”

Felix lets out a breath. “I'm okay.”

It's mostly true.

His mother hums softly, not fully convinced. When he glances over, she's already watching him the way only mothers can. “How are you feeling? Good? Is there anything you worried about?"

Felix laughs quietly because of course, nothing can escape the woman who raised him. He drops his gaze to the wine glass in his hands, turning it slowly. “I just…” he pauses to swallow air. “I just hope she still wants the same thing I do.”

His mother's expression softens and carefully she asks, “You think she might not?”

Felix opens his mouth. Then closes it. Because the honest answer is, he doesn't know. And that's exactly what terrifies him.

His silence says enough and his mother nods slowly, thinking. Then she reaches over and gently squeezes his arm. “You know, considering the situation and how unusual all of this is...” she gestures vaguely around them. “I don't think there would be any shame if she said no.”

Felix nods immediately. Because she's right. It’s an experiment after all and everything happened so fast, so quickly. It’s understandable if either of them still need more time for a commitment this big.

“No, I wouldn't blame her,” he quickly says.

His mother's eyes remain fixed on him and finishes the sentence for him. “But you’d be devastated.”

Felix hesitates but nods anyway. “Yeah, I’d be very devastated,” his voice comes out quieter than he expects.

The confession hangs heavily between them. His mother doesn't dismiss it or tell him not to feel that way. She simply nods, validating it and understanding it.

“Of course you would. Even under normal circumstances, marriage is a leap of faith,” she says, hand finding his on his lap. “And I’m proud of you.”

Hearing that nearly breaks him because she's saying it so simply yet sincerely. Like it's the easiest thing in the world.

“Thank you, Mom," he softly says.

The smile she gives him afterward is full of so many things at once. Pride. Love. Happiness. Sadness. The strange grief that comes with watching someone grow up. She reaches up and carefully brushes his hair back from his forehead just like she used to.

“It's a big day.”

Felix chuckles softly as he nods. “You ever think I'd get married?” he curiously asks.

“No,” she answers without a beat. His mother laughs through watery eyes. “It’s because you're still ten in my head.”

Felix continues chuckles but God, it feels nice that he’s loved so deeply.

The tears return before she can stop them. Her smile trembles as she says, “I'd like you to be ten again.”

Felix's chest aches. He shifts closer immediately, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Mom,” he sadly murmurs, gently wiping her eyes. “I’ll always be your son.”

That only makes more tears spill over. She laughs at herself as Felix pulls her into another hug. This time she holds on just as tightly. Neither of them says anything. Neither needs to.

Eventually someone knocks and informs that it’s time. The ceremony is about to begin.

Felix stands, straightens his jacket and tie. His mother rises beside him. Before they leave, she links her arm through his, tightly. Like she's not quite ready to let go yet. Maybe neither of them is.

Felix looks down at her, staring into her eyes with gratitude and fondness. “I love you.”

She squeezes his arm and looks at him with eyes that carry so much emotions that only mothers would understand. “I love you, honey.”

Together, they step out of the suite and toward the ceremony.

-

FELIX: In just moments now, I’m going to the altar. And she's going to walk down that aisle. And she's either going to say yes and spend our lives together as husband and wife. Or maybe [softly sighs] she'll say no [deeply inhales] and that might be the end.

-

The music starts before you're ready for it. Soft piano notes drift through the hallway outside the curtain. Next to you, your mother's arm remains linked through yours and you hold onto it a little tighter. If she wasn't here, you honestly don't know how you would manage this.

You can hear faint voices from the ceremony space beyond the curtain. Guests shifting in their seats. The officiant speaking quietly. The distant rustle of fabric. And somewhere out there is Felix, waiting for you. Your heart pounds so hard it almost hurts. You take a deep breath. Then another. You remind yourself to relax and smile. Just breathe through it.

The wedding coordinator gives you a small nod and the curtains begin to open. Your smile appears automatically, almost instinctively. Your feet start moving before your brain catches up. One step after another. The aisle stretches ahead of you, lined with flowers and faces and sunlight pouring through the venue windows.

For a moment, it's all a blur until you lift your eyes and find him. Felix. He’s standing at the altar, waiting for you. The second your eyes meet, everything else disappears and fades into the background. Because he is looking at you like you're the only thing in the room. Like you're the only thing in the world. His eyes are shining, full of affection and admiration. Full of something so overwhelming that it reaches all the way across the aisle and settles inside your chest.

And just like that, you feel calmer and safer. Like maybe everything is going to be okay. Then you notice his lower lip trembling, the way he's clearly fighting tears and despite it, your smile grows. And you continue walking until finally you reach the altar.

Your mother stops beside you and for a brief moment, it's just the two of you. She turns toward you, her eyes already glossy. She leans down and presses a kiss to your cheek.

“I love you,” she whispers.

The words leave your mouth before you can even think. “I love you too, Mom.”

Her hand squeezes yours one last time before finally lets go.

You climb the short steps toward him, toward what comes next and the second you reach him, Felix takes both of your hands. Like he's been waiting to do that all day. His fingers lace through yours immediately, holding and grounding both of you.

And standing there, face-to-face with him, you realize something. You don't need anything else. Because he's here and somehow your racing heart finally quiets.

Felix looks at you for a long moment. His eyes travel across your face. The dress. The veil. Then back to your eyes. “You're so beautiful,” he lowly murmurs.

Your cheeks warm at his heartfelt compliment. “Thank you.”

The ceremony begins. You barely hear the officiant at first. You're too busy staring at Felix. Too busy realizing that in a few minutes, everything could change.

When it's time for the vows, Felix takes a shaky breath. Immediately, you know. He's going to cry. He starts speaking anyway.

“Every day that we'd spent together has been a blessing to me,” he begins, voice steady and confident. “There's so much I love about you and when I’m—"

The emotion eventually catches up to him. His voice cracks and tears pooling his eyes. And before he can even wipe them, you're already lifting the one you've been hiding in your hand. You gently dab beneath his eyes, careful not to ruin all the effort that went into getting him ready.

A small laugh escapes the guests and Felix laughs too, embarrassed. “I'm sorry,” he says quietly.

You shake your head. “It's okay, baby.”

You give him a small nod, encouraging him to continue.

He smiles gratefully and then continues. “When I’m with you, I feel like I’m the best version of myself. And yet…” he pauses to quietly inhale air, eyes steady on you. “… You always made me want to be a better man.”

His smile grows wider and brighter. His voice more certain now. “You're everything I’m looking for in a person and I feel very blessed to have you in my life.”

You proudly smile when he makes it through the rest. Every word lands straight in your chest and your eyes ting too. You squeeze his hands as you murmur, “That was beautiful.”

His smile returns even brighter and lovelier, the one that looks the best on him.

Then it's your turn and you inhale slowly while opening the paper you’ve folded and unfolded for the umpteenth time, the scribbles and crossed-out sentences. The late nights spent wondering how to put any of this into words.

Suddenly all of it feels far away because Felix is standing right in front of you, looking at you like he already knows every word before you say it. You look at him, finding the comfort in them and begin.

“I love that you make me feel comfortable being myself. No matter how flawed, weird, or broken I may have been.”

The first few lines come easier than expected and it gives you the confidence to continue.

“I'm thankful for our time together. And how beautiful our moments are. I've never had a man love me as purely and as selflessly as you have.”

Hearing that, Felix starts to tear up again. But his smile stays warm and loving.

“I’m grateful for the things that have made me unconformable and forced me to grow,” you say, voice a little shaky somehow.

“I'm grateful for you,” you finish with a smile and a certain heart.

And through the entire thing, he holds your hands tightly as if he's still amazed that somehow, against all odds, you chose him.

-

The world narrows to the warmth of your hands in his. Everything else fades into something soft and distant. Because you're standing in front of him and you've just finished reading your vows.

Felix can barely breathe. His vision blurs again despite the fact that he already cried through half of his own vows. He laughs quietly through it, embarrassed and emotional all over again, while you squeeze his hands and smile at him like none of it is strange.

The officiant gives both of you a moment before continuing.

“Now, it is the time to decide if love is truly blind. Your love developed in an untraditional way, based on an intense emotional connection. Looks, money, age and every other material things that might be important to some people, was not a factor for you two.”

Felix swallows hard. His pulse pounds in his ears. He should feel relieved. Because he already knows his answer. He's known it for weeks. Months, maybe. Ever since a voice behind a wall somehow found its way into every corner of his life.

“And today, you stand together in the presence of your family, friends and the almighty God to decide if love is blind,” the officiant pauses to look at each one of you with a smile. “And whether or not to face life together as husband and wife.  Or walk away from each other forever.”

Then, the officiant turns toward him and Felix straightens immediately, his grip on your hands tightens instinctively.

“Do you take her to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her so long as you both shall live?”

The answer is already there. Felix lifts his eyes fully to yours, sees the shine of tears and the tiny nervous smile pulling at your lips. Sees the woman he fell in love with without ever seeing her face. The woman who chose him again and again. The woman who sat on the other side of a wall and told him she wasn't going anywhere.

He inhales air and with utmost certainty, he answers, “I do.”

His voice cracks immediately and it gets greeted by a ripple of laughter moves through the guests.

Felix laughs too, shaking his head. Then he looks directly at you. “I do,” he repeats, stronger this time.

His thumbs brush over your knuckles. “I do because you're my best friend.”

Your eyes immediately well with fresh tears.

“I do because every day with you feels like coming home.” His own tears threaten again. “And I do because I'm not walking away from the only person I want in my life.”

A shaky breath leaves you and the smile you give him nearly destroys what little composure he has left.

The officiant smiles warmly before turning toward you. And suddenly, Felix's heart begins racing again, a little too fast now.

“And you, do you take her to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and keep him so long as you both shall live?”

And Felix knows this should be the easy part because he knows you love him. You told him you love him. You stood beside him through everything. You forgave him when he finally told you the truth. You met his family. You welcomed them. You chose him.

But why does it feel like the floor is disappearing beneath him?

The entire room falls silent. You look at him and you keep looking like you’re still looking, still finding the answer in him. Still… undecided.

One second passes. Then another. And another. Felix feels every single one with his pulse thunders and palms dampen against yours.

This is the longest silence of his life and all Felix can do is stand there holding your hands, staring into your eyes, hoping—praying—that when you finally speak, he'll still have you.

-

The world goes quiet. You can still hear your own heartbeat thundering in your ears. But everything else fades behind the sight of Felix standing in front of you. His hands are wrapped around yours while the officiant's question hangs in the air. A simple question that needs one tiny answer and yet it feels heavier than anything you've ever carried.

This is it. No more second guessing, wondering. Only a choice. A choice that will change both of your lives forever. Your gaze stays locked on Felix's, and you see every part of him there. The nervousness. The hope. The vulnerability. The love.

You think about the pods, about the voice you fell in love with before you ever knew what he looked like. You think about the first time you saw him, the romantic vacation, moving in together. Living with him, falling asleep beside him, the way he holds you when he thinks you're upset. The way he loves you.

And suddenly, despite all the fear, despite all the uncertainty, despite how terrifying forever sounds, you realize something. You can't imagine walking away from him. You can't imagine choosing a future where he isn't there.

The answer becomes simple. Your eyes soften as a smile finds its way onto your face. And with every bit of courage you have, you answer. “I do.”

The second the words leave your mouth, relief crashes across Felix's face. It happens so quickly it's almost funny. His shoulders sag. His eyes squeeze shut. And then, of course, he starts crying again.

A soft, affectionate laugh escapes you and Felix laughs through his tears too.

The officiant smiles warmly at the two of you before continuing. “Today, you guys have definitely proved that love is blind.”

The officiant looks between the two of you. “And by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

Husband and wife. The words don't feel real. You hear them and understand them. But your brain can't quite catch up.

The officiant's smile widens as he looks at Felix and says, “You may now kiss your bride.”

Neither of you hesitate. Not for a second. Felix is already leaning toward you and you're already moving toward him. The kiss is full of relief and gratitude, of everything you’ve survived to get here. It feels sacred somehow. Like a promise. Like a beginning to something bigger than yourself.

When you finally pull apart, your foreheads brush. You breathlessly smile as you mutter, “We did it. We’re married.”

Felix lets out a laugh. A watery, emotional laugh. “We did it.”

Only then, you hear the applause and cheering, even whistles from everyone around you.

Felix wipes quickly at his eyes while laughing. Then he carefully takes your hand. He’s leading you down the small steps together.

Someone hands you your bouquet. You barely register who. Because you’re still processing everything. The two of you begin walking back down the aisle together, arm linked with arm, smiling so hard your cheeks hurt.

The guests rise to their feet. Your mother is crying. Felix's mother is crying. Your friends are cheering. And it all feels perfect.

When you finally disappear beyond the garden archway and out of sight of the guests, Felix immediately turns toward you. You barely have time to laugh before he kisses you again, harder and happier this time. Like he still can't believe you're real.

When he pulls away, his face is glowing. “I love you.”

“I love you,” you easily say back.

His smile somehow grows wider. Then he reaches for your left hand, lifts it and presses a kiss on the ring. The gesture is so sweet it nearly makes you cry all over again.

When he looks back up at you, his eyes are shining. “I'll never let you go.”

Your heart squeezes as a smile tremble onto your lips. Then you wrap your arms around him. And he immediately folds you into his embrace, holding you tightly. Like he never wants to let go either.

For a moment, the two of you simply stay there. Just you and him. The two people who somehow found each other in the strangest way possible. The two people who chose each other anyway. And now, finally—

Husband and wife.

-

YOU: I don’t think that I could have met someone like Felix any other way. I’ve been looking for him for years [laughs] And apparently, he was looking for me too. I’m glad we finally found each other. [smiles]

-

Wife. The word still doesn't feel real. Every time it crosses his mind, Felix feels a smile threatening to break across his face again. The thought follows him as he walks beside you down the hallway toward the reception hall. Your fingers are intertwined with his. Your wedding rings catch the light every now and then. And every time he notices it, his chest swells all over again.

A wedding coordinator opens the doors and the wave of celebratory noises greet both of you. The entire room rises to their feet the second you both step inside. Felix instinctively laughs and beside him, you're laughing too, looking almost overwhelmed by the reception.

The guests continue clapping as the two of you make your way toward the center of the room. He catches sight of his mother wiping her eyes and your mother isn't doing much better. Neither are some of your friends.

At this point, Felix suspects there isn't a dry eye anywhere in the venue. Not that he's in any position to judge. He cried through half the ceremony.

The cheering slowly settles. A microphone is handed to him. Immediately, his stomach flips. He looks at you and you grin which makes it worse. Because now he wants to make you proud.

Felix lifts the microphone and starts speaking. “Hi, everyone.”

A few guests cheer again.

He laughs before continuing, “First of all, thank you all for coming.”

His eyes drift toward you, standing beside him. He puts a hand on the small of your back. “A lot of people traveled a long way to be here today.”

He glances toward his family. Then yours. Then the friends who supported both of you throughout the experiment.

“And it means a lot that you came to celebrate with us. Especially because this whole thing started with two strangers talking through a wall.”

Laughter spreads across the room.

“And somehow...” His eyes return to yours. “It turned into this.”

A few people let out collective aws. You look suspiciously close to crying again. Which means Felix has to quickly hand you the microphone before he starts doing the same.

You take it with a laugh. “Hi.”

The room instantly quiets.

You look around at everyone before smiling. “Thank you all for being here. Honestly, if someone had told me a few months ago that I'd be standing here today, married... I would've thought they were insane.”

The room erupts in laughter.

“But somehow, this experiment brought me to the most wonderful person I've ever met.”

The compliment makes Felix look away immediately. Too much. Way too much. He can't handle it.

The guests laugh at his reaction.

You smile warmly at him as you continue, “And I feel very lucky that I get to call him my husband.”

A collective chorus of aws fills the room again. Felix presses his lips together, trying not to cry. Again. Once the speeches are over, the wedding cake is wheeled into the center of the room. Together, you take hold of the knife. Your hands overlapping and cut through the first slice.

The room applauds again. A photographer captures approximately a thousand photos. Felix carefully lifts the piece of cake and feeds it to you. You take the bite obediently. And you feed him back. No sabotage. No teasing. And just like that, another round of applause fills the room.

The celebration continues afterward and through all of it, Felix keeps finding himself looking for you. Every time he sees you, the same thought returns.

My wife. His favorite thought in the world.

-

FELIX: She has everything I’ve dreamed about in a partner. [softly sighs] I’m just so thankful that we got to meet each other through this experiment. I fell in love with her without ever seeing her. It's amazing to say that she's my wife [grins] I’m happy I locked it down [laughs]

-

It’s time for you and Felix’s first dance. He takes your hand and leads you to the center of the dancefloor. Soon, music fills the room and the two of you begin swaying your bodies to the soft, slow beat of it. The lights above cast everything in a soft golden glow.

For a moment, neither of you move. You simply look at each other in both awe and disbelief. You instinctively step closer as his arm tightens around you. Your free hand settles against his chest, right above his heart. You can feel it beating beneath your palm.

There was a time when you only knew his voice. A time when you sat on the other side of a wall wondering what he looked like, if he was real, if a connection like this could survive outside the pods. Now, you're standing here in a wedding dress and in his arms. Married.

Felix looks down at you the same way he always does. Like you're something precious and worth protecting, worth choosing every single day.

Your chest aches in the best way possible. The kind that only comes from being loved this deeply.

“I love you.” His voice is barely louder than the music. Barely louder than the sound of your own heartbeat. Yet it reaches every corner of you.

“I love you too,” you say it back naturally, immediately.

Felix leans down, kisses you so softly and tenderly. A kiss that says everything without words. When he pulls away, neither of you moves very far.

Your foreheads almost touch when you look up at him, at your husband. And suddenly, you can see your future in his eyes.

You laugh quietly before asking, “So… what’s next?”

A grin immediately spreads across his face, a mischievous one. The one that always gets him into trouble. “Seven kids,” he says rather matter-of-factly.

You stare at him. Then immediately burst into laughter. A loud, genuine laugh that makes him laugh too.

“Minimum,” he playfully adds, looking entirely serious. Which somehow makes it even funnier.

You shake your head, still laughing. Then nod. “Seven kids it is.”

His eyes light up. “Really?”

“No.”

You both laugh and the sound mixing with the music around you. The joy. The relief. The excitement. All of it feels endless. You lean forward and kiss him again, just because you can and he’s yours. When you pull away, you gently rest your head against his chest. His arms immediately tighten around you, holding you close.

The two of you continue swaying together and for the first time since this journey began, there is nowhere else to be. Only this. The beginning. You listen to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and for once, your own heart is quiet. Because from now on, you're no longer facing life alone.

Today, your life together begins. And that feels less frightening than it ever did before. Because whatever comes next— The good days. The difficult days. The ordinary days. The extraordinary ones. You'll face them together, hand in hand, just like this. As husband and wife.

-

YOU: Six weeks ago, I was extremely skeptic but at the same time, hopeful. I kept an open mind. But I honestly did not expect for things to get this far. I mean, that was my hope and dream, but this [softly exhales] is bigger than anything I could have ever imagined. I'm just grateful for everything. [grins] This experience and experiment truly change my life. So yeah, I absolutely believe that love is blind. [smiles]

-

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[angelbbyunicorn]

villa camera roll w/ Caleb!!

*you’re coupled up with Caleb in the villa and these are some of the videos you take together

masterlist , taglist

༘⋆ You began recording, walking up to Caleb who was sitting at the counter chatting with other islanders, "Ooouuhhh, look at my sexy man in his cowboy hat!" Caleb turns to you right away, his cheeks now turning pink from the sudden affection.

༘⋆ You and melanie stood in front of the phone camera showing off your outfit for the night, Caleb watches as he waits for your turn to show what you're wearing, as soon as you step into frame he launches at you picking you up over his shoulder. "Caleb! I'm trying to show off my outfit!" you yell, swinging your legs.

༘⋆ Caleb had his head buried in the crook of your neck you sneakily lift the phone up and press record, "Seems like someone didn't get much sleep last night." You tease, "mmm" he hums against your neck. "Maybe I should sleep in soul ties so you aren't so distracted when you try and fall asleep" you joke, he immediately picks his head up noticing the phone held in front of him, he pushes the phone down, causing you to end the video.

༘⋆ Caleb was showing off what he made you for breakfast, "We got eggs, pancakes, and some fruit. Let's go see what the queen thinks of this" He walks up the stairs with the food in hand, he places the plate in front of you and salutes to you, "What are you doing" you ask, looking at the camera embarrassed, "Making sure my food is good enough for the ruler." He teases, you push his shoulder lightly before kissing him and thanking him for the food.

༘⋆ You watched as Caleb munched on the snack you had made him, "Is it good?!" you ask, sticking the camera in his face. He freezes in his tracks, mouth full and pushes the phone down.

༘⋆ The two of you were seated in soul ties, you had just gotten done sharing a kiss, you whip your phone out capturing him with your lip color smeared around his lips, "Wow that color suits you very really" you tease, "Huh?" He replies before wiping his lips and seeing the color transfer on the back of his hand, "Delete that!" he yells, covering the camera.

༘⋆ You and Trinity were sitting on the couch as Bryce and Caleb came up to you, camera in hand, "Do you think they're talking about us?" He asks in a loud whisper, the both of you roll your eyes, "That or they're talking about how amazing we are in bed" Caleb adds, the both of them launch themselves onto the couch you were sitting on, the two of you try to push them away, "You're so annoying!" Trinity says, waving her arms.

༘⋆ Kc filmed you and Caleb as you walked up to Caleb mid workout doing pushups, you sat on Calebs back as he continued, your legs and arms crossed with a sassy look on your face, he didn't stop until you got off.

༘⋆ You and Trinity laid on the tanning chairs, eyes closed soaking every bit of the sun into your skin, Bryce and Caleb sneak up on you, they splash a bit of water on your legs, startling the both of you. The two of you jump out of your seats as chase after them, the boys both screaming and laughing as you attempt to catch them.

༘⋆ “look at you, all gross and sweaty” you say as Caleb comes over to you after working out, immediately after you speak he runs over and smothers you with kisses “EW CALEB YOU’RE SO SWEATY!!!” you yell, trying to push him off you.

༘⋆ You had just gotten done getting ready for the night Caleb stood at the bottom of the stairs you walk down as he holds the phone up, “Wow, look at my sexy lady.” he says, holding his hand out to help you down.

༘⋆ It was raining in the villa that day, Caleb gets Kc to film a video as you sit on the counter, “Stand up” Caleb says, holding his hand out to help you up, “Why?” you ask with a nervous chuckle. “I want a hug” he answers. You get up and hug him tight a round the neck, he lifts you off the floor and runs you into the rain, you swing your legs in the air, “Caleb! Put me down” you say laughing.

a/n: i’ve been seeing people doing this lately i thought it was cute

tags: @kingoveverything @postbodyarchive @maracops @jjscoquette @natesibsdih @luvvconceal @missmodelsexx @misscelly71 @reallyamthegoat08 @badlands-bitchh @qiyokuliife @takiimuncher @lattetwirll @glowygurlie @lovemehardcoreangel @y-yasminn @yallnotogso @22angel2 @randumfanfics @2bun22 @kavsgirl @swagonometryfr @gwensexxual @ibelieveinfairyz @suxyio @rafesgreasycurtainbangs

[gardenof-venus]

kiss it better.

pairing: caleb mcdaniel x black! fem! reader, though ALL are encouraged to enjoy

listen to ! — kiss it better - rihanna ; snooze - sza ; are you even real - teddy swims & giveon

warnings ! — none besides a suggestive comment he makes somewhere in this. kissing but not in depth. obviously deviations from events of love island s8. possibly inaccurate descriptions of sunburns? i've never had one!

genre ! — fluff

synopsis ! — a fic in which you nurse his wounds after being hit with heat he wasn’t quite expecting!

wc ! — ≈900 words!

author's note ! — just needed to do something sweet because these last few episodes have been tearing me up & y'all couldn't pull fluff from my cold, dead hands ngl. love a cute little short fic to the moon and back, so one for caleb? duhhh!

also, episode 14... let's discuss, because so much shit in this show has made me want to turn off the whole TV, but this ep??? lordddd.

likes are always appreciated, but I’d love to hear what you think, what you’d like to see, and other comments! ❤️

It was uncharacteristic for Caleb to be this loud. When he’d first entered, the large man typically communicated solely in hums, minutely-noticeable nods, and sentences that stayed below 40 decibels—at least that’s how he was with you. But as he grips the sides of your thighs and his grunts and groans increase in volume, you can’t ever imagine this man being nonverbal.

Your thoughts stop when his large hand roughly pulls yours away, stopping your crusade of applying aloe to the sunburnt expanse of his chest. You told him consistently not wearing a damn thing under this sun was idiotic and could soon become detrimental, given that you’re filming in it for most of the day, but the hard-headed man insisted he’d “raw dog the rays.” 

Which then led to his current state, in which 70% of his skin remained healthy, moisturized, and rippled with the defined muscle beneath, but the areas most exposed to the harsh UV had grown red, irritated, and slightly burned from the bright sun.

“I told you you’re not me and needed the sunscreen, but you didn’t listen, so sit still,” you grumbled from your spot on Caleb’s lap.

His short nails bit into your hips from his grip on them with each pass of your fingers.

“I know, mama, but it hurts,” he replied with a childish groan. Pretty face turned down in a light grimace with a scrunch of his reddened nose. 

You were supposed to be taking this seriously, but the burn was almost cute? It naturally gave the center of his face a blush, tanned its surroundings, and darkened his freckles in one go, and blanketed the highest peaks of his body. 

“And the more you flinch, the more it hurts. Hold still, I’m almost done.” Your hands then slid from the back of his neck to his cheeks, spreading the aloe over the tip of his nose and the apples of his cheeks. 

He winced one more time at your hands before you pressed a cute and quick kiss to his lips.

“There? See, I’m done. You’re free to continue complaining while protected.” You said with a smile.

His lips turned up again, this time with a small grin of his own, and he shook his head softly.

“Nah, darling, I think you missed a few spots.”

In reality, he looked like Vaseline’s latest ad pickup, but the man was nothing short of ridiculous, so you humored him.

“Mhm, and where’s that exactly?”

He raised a hand to gesture towards a few spots on his face and down his chest. 

“Right here. Actually, here, here, and here too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, your job’s patchier than I thought.” You smacked him lightly at that with a soft huff, turned to pick up the forgotten bottle from the table behind you, but he’d stopped your movements before you even got that far.

“Not that, darling. I want somethin’ else.”

You moved to stand, feet coming to a spot between his legs, and turned again, but he stopped you then, too.

“I mean, I have actual sunscreen somewhere in my bags to cover it too, if that’s what you’re asking for? I’ve got calamine lotion, hydrocortisone-”

His head shook.

“Mm-mm baby, want you to kiss me better,” he responded, effectively cutting you off. And effectively making you laugh in his face.

He sat in front of you, oiled up essentially, with the same dazed and happy expression across his face that he wore almost consistently now. He wasn’t fazed by your chuckles after hearing it so often at his expense, and instead, he brought you back into his space further by a grip on your thigh, silencing your noise. His head tilted to view you from below.

“Pooor baby. Need my kisses so your skin doesn’t shrivel up for Twitter to see?” You asked, bringing your other hand back to his glossy cheek. 

“I need your kisses so my skin doesn’t shrivel up for you to see, sugar. I’m supposed to be wooing you here. Can’t do that if it hurts to lift my arms above my chest.”

“I’m not seeing a correlation at all.”

“‘S simple. I have big dreams of having you on my shoulders in that hideaway someday soon. Skin irritation and timing are what’s holding me back. This sight’s only a trailer for me-”

“‘Kay, shut up and come here.”

Caleb closes his eyes, hums in satisfaction, and when you finally give in to his request and bring your face down to his. Leaning in close—but not close enough to mess up your aloe application—to press light kisses to each spot he’d pointed to.

One to his “blushed nose”. A few to the pretty freckles across his cheeks, topping off the sweet look he carried. A kiss to the side of his throat that always made him groan and shift when you two were wrapped up at night. And two or three to his chest, some freckles spread over the expanse of it. Over the muscles you’d called “man boobs,” to watch his face and ears redden as he rushed to correct you.

You stood up fully to see his dopey, satisfied smile.

“All requests fulfilled, I’m guessing?

His head shook for a final time before he rose to stand above you.

“Nope. Just one more~.”

“Oh my god, Caleb, get off of me! You feel like a lube bottle!”

“Aww, mama, don't run! I just want a hug!”

🌊⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖°🫧

a/n: k bye now! 💋

send me a request if you wanna see more! don’t be shy 🙈

[story-richmond]

Mermaid Artist

Three versions of the same illustration.

[kosmogrl]

we got august this week

[starlit-meadow]

do you want to turn our phones off and do some arts and crafts together?

[witchmarsh]

Romance option?? (no)

Wishlist Witchmarsh on Steam now!

[heavensghost]

im sorry im the one you love

[starlitsecrets]

Remember when joining fandom as a younger person meant lurking for a bit and figuring out the vibe and etiquette instead of coming in on day one and calling people weirdos for liking weirdo shit in the weirdo factory.

[thebumblecee]

some of you are so fucking talented and you’re using it to spread joy and happiness around for free

magnificent creatures, the lot of you

[angelbbyunicorn]

𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑰𝑵 𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑫

no warnings! trinity and reader are best friends <3 requested! trinity x platonic!reader caleb and reader are coupled.

masterlist , taglist

———————————

You and Trinity were literally inseparable. Whenever one was, the other was there too. You guys probably spent more time talking to each other than your own couple. This caused Bryce and Caleb to be very close as well, given their ladies were always together meant they were too.

You and Trinity had each others backs too, your feelings were always justified by her, she always defended and she always took care of you. You didn’t think walking into the villa you’d find your new favorite human being but you did. Everyone in the villa knew it was you and Trinity and that’s how it’d be forever. There was no way anyone was coming between you two.

You and Trinity laid on the daybeds, shades on and fully stretched out relaxing. Caleb looked for you for a solid minute just to find you where he expected - with Trinity. “What’s happening over here?” He asks. You stretch your arms out to accept him beside you “We’re spilling the tea.” Trinity replies, “Top secret.” You add. Caleb comes up beside you, head rested on your chest as you comb through his silky hair.

Bryce eventually joins in too, laying beside Trinity as the two of you continue to gossip, they stayed there like props in the story but were in awe of what they got so lucky with. They’d pitch into the conversation every now and then, if you and Trinity had a solid opinion on someone they’d make it known they stood behind you on it.

Later that night you’d disappeared with Trinity again, they two of you laid in soul ties passed out. The conversation had just ended at some point, both of your eyelids heavy as you laid on the comfy pillows. As everyone went to get ready for bed Caleb and Bryce noticed you and Trinity were both missing, usually you’d come out of hiding with everyone else but today there was nothing but silence.

They searched the villa for you before finding the both of you cuddled up peacefully. Caleb comes up the side of you carefully, “Hey sleepy.” He says, rubbing your hair. You squirm lightly at the sudden wake up but can’t fully get out of your slumber. Bryce also tried to wake Trinity but she didn’t budge either. They both looked at each other with a smile on their faces before picking you up and walking you into the bedroom with everyone else. They tucked you in nicely, pressing a kiss to the top of your head before crawling into bed beside you.

tags: @kingoveverything @postbodyarchive @maracops @jjscoquette @natesibsdih @luvvconceal @missmodelsexx @misscelly71 @reallyamthegoat08 @badlands-bitchh @qiyokuliife @takiimuncher @lattetwirll @glowygurlie @lovemehardcoreangel @y-yasminn @yallnotogso @22angel2 @randumfanfics @2bun22 @kavsgirl @swagonometryfr @gwensexxual @ibelieveinfairyz @suxyio @superrslut @osx12-22 @alaysiunaadams23 @chillspritecranberry @datonetwizz @blueberrymuff1nn @mikeyspinkcup @swifth0lic @bookwormwrld @secretsteelzealot @devilsleattuce @chesspend

[melissax77]

no rizz but i’d educate myself on your interests just so we can talk about it

[erotiquadoll]

so bombshell

[savorytoothgirl]

French Toast Breakfast Sandwich

[wyrmicelli]

me tongue-deep in a sandalwood candle: 🤤

the tjmaxx employee loading a fourth tranquilizer dart into their blowgun: i need backup

[snowown]

[keresofdeath]

fuck it we blog

[tranthony]

grout white shark