City of Smoke // Brian 'Otis' Zvonecek ✔️

24 || EPILOGUE

Knocking gently on the door, Rory waited until she heard his faint voice call towards it, telling her to come in and sending a wave of butterflies through her already fluttering stomach. She really hoped he wasn't as freaked out as she was picturing him to be otherwise what she had to tell him might push him that one step closer to the edge of being a runaway groom.

Stepping into the room, Rory quickly caught a glimpse of Otis, standing with his back to her as he fiddled with his bowtie, trying to get it straight but failing each time. She smiled softly to herself, lifting her dress a little as she began to walk slowly towards him, eager to surprise him as she knew she'd be the last person he'd expect to walk in here.

"You know..." Rory began, her voice making Otis's hands drop to his sides and his head shoot up, catching sight of her in the mirror as she approached him. "...for someone who wears bowties a lot... You sure are struggling with that thing."

"Rory." Otis breathed out, feeling her come up behind him as she leaned her head on his shoulder, her hand snaking up his back and landing on his other one, keeping him from turning towards him.

"Look at you, looking all handsome." Rory said softly, making a bunch of flustered noises escape the back of Otis's throat as he still wasn't used to being called handsome, no matter how many times Rory had said it to him throughout their relationship. 

"You shouldn't be in here." Otis said once he'd composed himself, feeling as Rory's hand slid down his arm to take his. "It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding."

"You sound just like Sylvie." Rory chuckled, using her hold on his hand to turn him around, his eyes widening when they landed on her properly. She'd never looked more beautiful as she did right now, standing before him in a dress that was so utterly perfect for her in every single way.

"Wow... You look... Wow, absolutely breathtaking." Otis breathed out, his eyes already watering and the wedding hadn't even started yet. "That dress is perfect."

"You think?" Rory asked shyly, blushing beneath her make-up as she glanced down at the ground, feeling as Otis used his finger to gently lift her face back up to look at him.

"I don't think... I know." He said softly, lightly brushing his fingertips down the length of her cheek. "You look beautiful... And I can't believe I'm the one who you'll be walking down that aisle towards."

"You better start believing it, because in a few minutes you'll be seeing just that." Rory whispered, leaning forward to place a soft kiss against his lips, the nerves she felt about him freaking out and running off vanishing the second he kissed her back. "But before that... There's something I need to tell you."

"Oh?" Otis questioned curiously, his eyebrow raising a little as he tried to get a read on Rory's face, the one she'd clearly been practising keeping vacant as he couldn't tell whether what she had to tell him was good or bad. "You've got me nervous now."

"Well I'm glad to hear you weren't nervous before." Rory said humorously, making Otis chuckle a little.

"I didn't say that exactly." He smiled, taking her hand in his and placing a kiss against her ring finger, feeling the coolness of her engagement ring on his lips. "What is it? What do you need to tell me?"

"Do you remember that night... In the firehouse? In the turnout room?" Rory asked, blushing heavily over the memory of the night she and Otis had had a little fun whilst the others had slept.

"God, how could I forget?" He exhaled, his arm slinking around her waist to pull her closer. "That was probably the hottest thing I've ever done in the firehouse."