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George peered over the rim of his champagne glass at the guests. Despite the fact that the wedding hall was almost full, he had never felt so distant from his friends and family.
He figured he should be happy for his little brother, his friend and their fiancé, George more than nearly anyone knew how much the three had gone through to get here. It was both a celebration of their achievements and perseverance, as well as a respite from the daily heartbreak.
George, couldn't help but feel conflicted. Sapnap had invited him to be his best man, and he had accepted. It had been far too long since he had visited Sapnap. George was half-afraid that he would no longer be considered his friend. Despite having been one of his closest friends in the past, that had gradually faded. The group's linchpin had left, and overtime George and Sapnap had begun to drift apart. George sighed quietly to himself. It was pointless to dwell on those memories now. He'd done enough of that to last him a lifetime.
The wedding was being held in Las Nevadas. As Quackity had originally intended. George thought that the casino country was a horrible place for a wedding. It didn't exactly scream "love" to him, but what did he know? George had already been divorced once and his last relationship was a mess of codependent tragedies.
He had to admit that the wedding hall was nicer than he expected. If not a bit chaotic. The casino's success showed in every embellishment and decoration. Blue, purple and orange flowers decorated the tables in perfectly arranged bouquets, courtesy of Niki. Confetti was thrown around haphazardly, and bamboo was lined parallel to the walls. George noticed the confetti was shaped like ducks, pandas, and rabbits, he suppressed an eye roll.
At the very least, George didn't seem too out of place in the lush hall. He hadn't bothered to get dressed up. His plain blue shirt wasn't soiled with moss or dust like usual, he'd even bothered to put in simple silver studs he'd dug up from the back of his closet. After seeing someone wearing a horribly saturated blue onesie, he felt a little better about his casual attire.
Weddings had never been George's thing. His own had been a hurried and underwhelming affair. The setting was pleasant enough, but he had only recently met Ninja. It had been a whirlwind week-long romance that had culminated in a hastily planned wedding meant for another couple who hadn't shown up, a split second decision really. It had ended not even a week later as the obsessive and controlling nature of his husband finally came to a fiery light.
George internally groaned, he had a type at least.
He was watching the other guests impassively when he noticed that Slime had gotten confetti irreversibly stuck in Slime's body. Slime appeared unconcerned and ignored all questions directed at the small paper flecks embedded in Slime's skin. George had to admit that seeing the paper sink in and dissolve into Slime's skin was amusing, if not disturbing.
Just then Tommy burst into the room with Tubbo and Ranboo following close behind. Half of the guests, including George, were immediately drawn to the scene. The trio were shouting excitedly and making fun of each other in a, mostly, lighthearted manner.
George cringed slightly at the noise, wanting to sink even deeper into his plush dining seat.
He hadn't seen any of the fiancés yet and was growing increasingly concerned. Sapnap and Quackity weren't typically known for being late. In fact Quackity had taken special care to be on time lately. Some bull about his reputation. George rarely paid attention the few times he had met with his brother in recent years.
He missed Quackity. He missed the carefree kid he'd been with shining golden wings displayed for everyone to see. George knew that person was never going to return but he thought, naively perhaps, that this wedding would bring him back to that.
George and Quackity had become so preoccupied with everything in the previous few years that they'd had few opportunities to simply hang out. George longed to reconnect with his little brother.
But George had been close to catatonic, a god induced sickness will do that to a person.
When they did meet up Quackity was never meeting him just to meet him. Quackity was always playing a game of power. This even extended to when he would meet with George. Their meetings were rarely to just `hang out`. Often enough they would devolve into shouting matches, bringing up the past. Whether it be the election, the still fresh wounds of Kinoko. Or even Dream. Those ones hurt the most. They'd end with throwing insults and demanding apologies.
Quackity hadn't been the one to invite George to the wedding. True, Quackity's name was on the invitation, along with Karl's, and Sapnap's but he knew it wasn't Quackity's idea.
With the fiancés mysteriously absent from their own wedding party, George was left alone.
That was until someone decided to sit down at his table.
George cast a sidelong glance at the newcomer. Tommy was sitting next to him, which surprised him. He had figured he'd be still terrorizing the rest of the guests with Tubbo and Ranboo.
Quackity had acted as a pseudo stepparent both before and after Tubbo's father's death, so of course Tubbo had come. George's eyes scanned the pavilion seeing if he could spot him, curious. He didn't see him anywhere.
“What's up Gogy!” Tommy shouted. George's nerves, mildly frayed and just about ready to leave, cringed at the others' volume.
“Hello Tommy, where are your friends? I figured you'd be hanging out with them right now.”
Tommy's face seemed to fall slightly before he replied, louder than before.
"Tubzo and his partner ran off to do something totally lame." He groaned, throwing himself backwards into his seat wrinkling his suit.
George could sympathize with being alone at a party. That was after all what had led both of them to this point. Sitting alone in a corner, at their own table sequestered away from the rest of their family and friends.
At that point, the fiancés arrived. As they walked in, they were surrounded. Family and friends greeted them and chastised them for being late. George made no move to follow suit. Perfectly content to meet with them after the crowds had died down. He expected Tommy to leap up to be among the crowd, he was surprised to see Tommy still sitting beside him.
“Tommy. Are you okay?”
For a brief moment, Tommy was deafeningly silent. He hadn't anticipated George's question. He sighed and stared at the sea of people.
"I'm not going to bother them right now."
Tommy seemed uncharacteristically nervous. George wasn't all that close with Tommy, but he did feel a sort of kinship with him like he did with the rest of the children adopted by Sam's hive mind. He had still noticed that there was something different about Tommy, as if something had shifted within him recently. George began to feel guilty for not doing anything about it. Granted, George hadn't been around much lately. Quite often, not even for himself.
George placed his hand on Tommy's shoulder in a rare show of support. “Tommy. Are you sure you're alright? You'd usually be the first one up there.'' George took a deep breath. "You know they'd love to spend time with you." Tommy fidgeted with his hands. Both securely in his lap.
George recognized the signs of anxiety immediately.
“You know if you're not doing well we can leave. I'm sure they'll understand.” At that Tommy shook his head.
George still looked around for a discrete exit, just in case. However his mood soured as he spotted Sam from across the room. The body that attended today was more human than George was used to, standing on two legs rather than four. George felt a sense of betrayal at this. Knowing that his dad had sent one of the others in the system, not prime. Quackity had probably noticed it as well, but he wasn't about to bring it up and ruin his wedding.
Sam approached the two at the table, recognizing them.
“George, Tommy, it's nice to see you both.” Tommy barely looked up to acknowledge him, George didn't look up at all.
“I haven't seen you in a while, how have you been?”
George answered first.
“Busy.” He was cold. His voice was flat.
“Oh, doing what?” Sam was clearly trying to pry more out of George.
“Things.” George just wanted Sam to leave, he didn't want to deal with the creeper hybrid right now.
“Okay.” it was drawn out and awkward. Sam turned his head to Tommy, deciding to brush off George's reaction like he was just some spoiled teenager again.
“Tommy, what have you been up to, I haven't seen you around the main smp in a while.” His voice was deceptively cheery. George suppressed another eye roll.
“I've been hanging out with Tubbo and Ranboo. I was thinking of moving in with them!” Tommy flinched, saying that had been a mistake.
"Didn't you have your own place? What about the embassy?" Sam's tone became strange. It didn't sit well with George.
"Well, yeah, but I just figured it'd be better if I moved in with them. It would be convenient because I visit so frequently." Tommy became more hurried as he spoke, "And I wanted to get away from the prison." He muttered under his breath.
Sam looked like he was going to press further, but something stopped him. “Alright, I'll see you later then.”
George was relieved when Sam finally left. Tommy appeared shaken, staring at his hands as if something would happen to them if he looked away.
"I went to the prison once." George suppressed a wince at the mention of the prison. “I was going to get revenge, but something went wrong. I was trapped there for days. I called him, I cried myself hoarse begging for Sam to let me out.”
He paused, trying to collect his thoughts. "I didn't want to be trapped in there with him.” Tommy's voice was shaking.
“I can still remember how it felt." George cocked his brow. Tommy took a deep breath, "Being dead." George shuddered slightly. “There was nothing there. Although I was only dead for three days, I spent months in nothingness being pulled apart and put back together again. I don't want to be near the prison anymore, to either of them.”
After listening to Tommy, George was at a loss for words.
He hadn't known that Tommy had died. He felt sick.
“Quackity and Ranboo were the only ones who mourned for me. Most of the others were happy that I'd died. I heard people even celebrated my death. Held parties and shit.” It had been months since then but a look of hurt still made its home on Tommy's face.
"I've got to be here for big Q." He wiped at the tears that had begun to trickle down his face.
"I can't let lame things like fear or anxiety get in the way of that.” George could see subtle cracks in his bravery, but kept quiet for Tommy's sake.
Suddenly Slime shouted loud enough for the whole procession to hear.
“Quackity of Las Nevadas, there is cocaine outside!”
Quackity struggled not to cringe as a few of the guests appeared concerned. Several peered outside at the beginning snowfall. Karl tried unsuccessfully to hold back a laugh. From somewhere in the crowd, a faint "Language!" could be heard.
Rolling laughter erupted from nearly everyone. George could see out of the corner of his eyes that Tommy had managed to crack a smile.