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Izuku knows that it’s too good to be true. He’s known for a while that Shouto would likely end up marrying another person of status, a woman at that.
Izuku knows that it’s been a long time coming. He knows he should be grateful for the two years that he got with Shouto before the man broke up with him (Izuku was shocked and confused, even moreso when Shouto told him it was because he was engaged. Izuku couldn’t help the tears that fell after that. He left without another word).
He was confused at first, he thought the two of them were happy together. He thought they were good. He couldn’t understand why Shouto would cheat on him and then get engaged. Then, he overheard Shouto’s father speaking to him, telling him that this marriage is for the best and he needs to act like he’s in love with the woman, Yaoyorozu Momo (who is actually a lovely lady, Shouto’s best friend, even), that he can’t tell anybody that the marriage was arranged. Shouto didn’t want it. It wasn’t Shouto’s intention to hurt Izuku.
Izuku knows that it’s selfish to still want Shouto. He knows that he should be happy that Shouto gets to marry someone he at least enjoys spending time with and that he didn’t get stuck with someone he can’t stand.
Izuku knows it’s probably kind of illegal to sneak into a wedding. Izuku knows he really should just leave. Izuku knows he’s not supposed to be here. Izuku knows he wasn’t invited. Izuku knows that he’ll make a fool of himself. Izuku knows it’s selfish. Izuku knows it’s stupid to be here.
Izuku knows.
But then he hears Yaoyorozu talking to one of her friends about how much she doesn’t want this. He hears her say that she just wishes she could run away and never look back.
Then he hears Todoroki Enji yelling at someone for not wearing the right kind of shoes. The woman cries and apologizes profusely.
Now Izuku doesn’t know anymore. Izuku isn’t sure if this idea is selfish anymore. Yaoyorozu doesn’t want this. Izuku is really hoping that Shouto still doesn’t want this, even though he’s had a year since he got engaged. Even though it’s been a year since they were together, Izuku can still hope that Shouto still wants him.
Izuku thinks about his plan. His very bold, probably maybe stupid plan. Begging Shouto to come back to him. Asking him to leave his fiance at the altar, to run away with him instead. Pleading with him in front of everybody. He knows he’ll probably look like an idiot. An obsessed idiot. And maybe he is a little obsessed. Maybe he is wrong.
But if loving Shouto is wrong, he never ever wants to be right.
Izuku isn’t sure how long he spends standing there just thinking about what he wants to do. All he knows is that suddenly he’s hearing music and his heart drops. The ceremony is happening already.
Izuku thought that he had more time than this, he feels a nervous pressure, like, on his chest. It's like something is pressing down on it. His hands are sweaty and he wipes them roughly on his pants, making his hands feel weird as a couple of fibers rub off onto his hands.
He makes his way over to where he can see what’s going on, instead of just hearing that dreadfully traditional music.
He sees as Yaoyorozu walks down the aisle and wow she is very beautiful. Izuku won’t blame Shouto if he doesn’t want to run away with him because he’s about to get married to such a beautiful woman. To someone he gets along with. Izuku knows he gets along with her, they're best friends.
Her dress is a traditional white gown, with long, lace sleeves. It doesn’t scream Yaoyorozu, from what Izuku knows about her. She probably didn’t really get a say in what wedding dress she was to wear. If Izuku had to guess, her parents and Shouto’s father probably chose. And that just makes Izuku even angrier. She doesn’t deserve this either. He already heard her say that she doesn’t want this. She deserves to have the wedding of her dreams to someone she actually wants to marry.
And, god, Izuku really wants Shouto back. This year without him has been the worst of his life, he’s sure. He really hopes that Shouto still doesn’t want this. He really hopes that this isn’t what Shouto dreamed of as a kid when he thought of his wedding. He really hopes that Shouto will agree to run away with him.
Then he moves slightly, peering deeper into the church, and actually sees Shouto. He’s standing up by the altar in a suit that he looks uncomfortable in. He definitely didn’t have a say in what he’s wearing because it’s so unlike anything formal he would ever wear. He doesn’t look happy to be there. He has a plastered smile on his face that Izuku can see straight through. This just makes Izuku’s chest swell with the possibility that his hopes can become realities.
He really hopes, he wants to know for sure but he’s just so unsure after a year of barely speaking to him, that Shouto is over there right now wishing Izuku was in Yaoyorozu’s place. He wants for Shouto to be imagining Izuku walking down that aisle.
The preacher is talking and he’s talking even more and the more he talks the more Izuku knows he’s running out of time and he doesn’t know when the right moment would be. He’s not really sure when the proper moment to crash a wedding is, that’s not something you’re really taught growing up.
Then, he hears the preacher give him his last chance, “If there are any objections, please speak now or forever hold your peace.
His final chance to pop in and beg Shouto to run away with him before everything is official and the love of his life is married. Izuku’s hands are shaking and he feels like his head is spinning, he’s a bit dizzy. His mouth is dry but the audience out there is all silent and if he lets the preacher continue then he’ll have lost his chance.
He takes a deep breath, forcing the air into his dry mouth and through his throat, all the way to his lungs. He holds that breath as he makes a dramatic entrance into the church, pushing the doors wide open.
Everybody turns to look at him. He can feel everybody’s glare and it makes his hands shake even more. He’s not sure that his whole body isn’t shaking. He takes a moment to look at everybody, they’re all shocked. Horrified. Confused.
He shakes his head. That’s not what he’s here for. That’s not who he’s here for. He’s here for Shouto so he looks just at him, only at him.
“Uh-” Izuku chuckles awkwardly, taking a few more steps down the aisle to get closer to Shouto, “Hi,” He waves and then quickly brings his hand back down, wiping it on his pants again because it’s still sweaty beyond belief, “I’m uh, not typically the kind of person to do something this crazy. I’m not, uh,” He licks his lips but it doesn’t do much since his mouth is so dry.
Shouto’s expression doesn’t change much but it changes enough for Izuku to see that he’s hopeful and that gives Izuku all the confidence he needs.
“I’m not sure what to even say, to be honest,” Izuku’s eyes lock onto Shouto, trying to ignore the fact that there is an entire crowd of people at this wedding, “you’re not- Shouto, this isn’t you. I,” He bites his bottom lip. He really should’ve planned what he was going to say beforehand, “Fuck,” He forcefully breathes out, and he feels his mind racing with all the possible outcomes.
He takes a deep breath through his nose, it sounds more like a sniffle, he slowly takes even more steps toward the front of the church, “Don’t say yes,” He whispers, his voice cracking as he feels tears fill up his eyes, reaching just before their breaking point, “You shouldn’t marry her, Shouto. Please don’t marry her. Don’t say ‘I do’, don’t stay here and live the rest of your life wondering what it could’ve been if you stayed with me,” He hears a collective gasp come from the guests and people begin to whisper but he doesn’t care because, now, Shouto could be within his reach if he just takes, maybe 5 more steps.
“Come with me,” Izuku says. He says what he wants. It’s such a relief to finally say it, “run away from here. Don’t do this to yourself, Sho. Don’t force yourself into this. Please.” He’s begging, he knows he is, “If-” He takes his millionth deep breath of the night, “If this is what you really want, if she is what you really want then I will go and I will leave you alone to be happy with her but if there’s even a chance that you still love me then come with me, Shouto,” He’s crying now. He can’t help as the tears fall down his face, thinking about the possibility of Shouto actually having a life with someone else. Marrying Yaoyorozu and maybe having kids in the future. Waking up every morning next to her instead of him. “Run away with me.”
Shouto doesn’t say anything and instead, breaks the eye contact between them, which damn near breaks Izuku’s heart, but still, he follows Shouto’s gaze all the way to his love’s father, who is absolutely fuming. Then Shouto looks over to Yaoyorozu who is grinning from ear to ear as she mouths, “Go with him. Go.” Then, out loud, she whispers, just barely a sound, “Be happy.”
A genuine smile is on Shouto’s face as he takes the single step toward her and gives her a hug, whispering, what Izuku assumes to be, a “thank you,” though, he can’t actually hear what he says.
Shouto turns toward all the guests and is suddenly saying, “I’m sorry for the inconvenience everybody, but the wedding is off. Any gifts will be sent back accordingly.”
Izuku doesn’t even process the words said before he’s being dragged out of the church. He doesn’t even process the fact that Shouto is dragging him out of the church. He barely processes the fact that Shouto’s father is screaming at them. Or the fact that Shouto’s and Yaoyorozu’s friends are all cheering. He’s pretty sure he imagines it when he sees as Yaoyorozu goes up to one of her bridesmaids, a girl with purple hair, almost crooked bangs, and kisses her.
Izuku does process as the cool wind of the outside hits his skin, making him feel 10 times cooler. He’s not sure if it’s just because he was nervous but it was really hot in that church.
Izuku does process as Shouto’s hug pushes him into the wall of the church. He’s pretty sure they’re at the back, now. Having successfully ran away from Shouto’s father.
Izuku does process as Shouto cries on his shoulder. He hugs Shouto back, squeezing him hard enough to make up for all the missed hugs over the year they’ve been apart.
“I thought I lost you, Izu,” Shouto pulls away from the hug but not apart from Izuku, he rests his forehead on his so that he can look into Izuku’s eyes, their tears all falling into the same general vicinity, “I’m so glad you were there, Izuku. I’m so glad you said all of that.
“Me too,” Izuku touches Shouto’s cheek just to be sure this is really real because he’s so dizzy that maybe, just maybe, this is another one of his dreams.
Shouto breathes out a tense breath as Izuku’s hand hits his skin, almost a chuckle of sorts, “Oh my god, I just left my wedding. Wow.” There’s a genuine smile on his face. It may not be the biggest, widest smile, but it’s the best thing that Shouto has got to offer and the greatest thing Izuku could ever possibly hope to see.
“Wow,” Izuku whispers back to him.
“Thank you,” Shouto grabs Izuku’s face, wiping away the younger man’s tears, “I love you. Thank you.
Izuku does process as Shouto leans in to kiss him. Izuku does process as he kisses him back.
He’s beyond happy and the swelling feeling in his chest is so much different from how it felt just a moment ago. He’s waited a year to kiss Shouto again and he knows that he would wait a million years for this man. He’s so in love with him that it hurts and, hell, maybe he’s a masochist because he cannot get enough of it.
“Thank you,” Izuku whispers back to him after the kiss is over, “thank you for leaving.”
“I didn’t want to get married to her Izuku, it was an arranged thin-”
Izuku interrupts him, “I know.”
Shouto’s expression changes to one of shock, “You know?
Izuku nods, their foreheads knocking together as he does so, “I overheard you and your father talking one day after we broke up. I know you didn’t want to leave me.”
Shouto breathes a sigh of relief and kisses Izuku again. They stay like that for a while until they decide that they should probably leave.
They run off, climbing into Izuku’s car and driving off to another town so that they don’t have to deal with any consequences of their actions for the next few days. They spend those days with each other in bliss and Izuku wonders why he didn’t do this sooner.