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The wedding was nice.
It wasn’t like there was anything wrong. Leonid was happy. Him and Vera said their vows, and the cake was definitely delicious. Their first dance made him tear up.
So he wasn’t sure why he wasn’t… Satisfied.
He kept the smile on his face as everybody came to give him congratulations. Even though, honestly, Leonid just wanted to be alone with Vera. It was so loud, and Leonid still wasn’t used to it. At least Vera was understanding, giving him a bit of distance so he didn’t have to deal with two sources of attention at once.
It made his chest hurt. Why couldn’t he be a proper husband on her most special day?
Up next was his dear neighbor. Feofil was his name, and he’d been so kind through the years that they’d been living near each other. Even when Leonid was still young and reeling over his father’s death, he was there for him. It made sense he’d be his best man.
Part of him wished Feofil recognized when he needed to be alone, though. The man had brought his whole family along.
“Hey, neighbor!” Feofil said in that bright voice that always seemed to ease his worries. Not this time. “Do you mind if I borrow you for a moment?”
Yes. “No, I don’t.” Leonid tried to smile. Even he could tell that it didn’t look right. But Feofil ignored it, grabbing his arm and leading him along.
“This is my mom, my dad, my little brother Ivan. I’ve been wanting to introduce you.”
He’d heard a lot of strange things about the family. Some good, some bad. When he heard about a little brother, he definitely expected… Something more like Feofil, probably. Ivan looked twice Leonid’s age, despite being the younger, and significantly meaner than he thought he would.
“It’s such an honor.” The mother said, her face wide with a smile. “Feo here tells us a lot about you.”
“If only you were able to come to his wedding. Alas, we didn’t know each other.”
And Leonid was like 17 at that time, he wanted to say. Once again, he didn’t speak his mind. “It’s uh, good to meet you all.”
“How about a drink? To your marriage!”
Before Leonid could say anything, a glass of alcohol was placed into his hand. Well, it would be polite, so…
“Damn, if I knew you were such a lightweight, I would have told them to stop after the first glass of wine.”
Somehow, he doubted that.
Leonid panted over the toilet, sweating up a storm. He couldn’t handle alcohol. Mentally or physically. He was lucky his neighbor’s weird little brother brought him to the bathroom before he lost his stomach in front of the family.
“...Hang in there. I’ll get some water.”
Ivan stood up, intending to go, but Leonid grabbed onto the edge of his fancy pants, pulling him back and nearly tripping him. A slight glare was sent his way. Why did he want this guy to stay again? He should just ask him to get Vera. Despite that, he didn’t let go until Ivan was sitting on the ground with him.
“Do you need anything, or are you just keeping me here to piss my parents off.” It was phrased like a statement instead of a question.
Leonid wiped his mouth of any remaining saliva and bile with a piece of toilet paper. It was like Feofil and Ivan were opposites. But, honestly? Leonid could appreciate it. It was nice to be treated with anger instead of pity, even though that probably wasn’t healthy to think. “Just… Don’t go.”
He saw the way the other looked at him while his family drank with him. He got the feeling that Ivan understood the dread that came with these things, even if he refused the wine due to “being on clock”. Whatever that meant.
“I’ll fucking… Die or some shit.”
Ivan raised an eyebrow. “You’d better not. Vera would kill me.” A pause. “Kidding.”
It was such an unfunny joke that it had Leonid laughing. Yeah… His now wife probably would. She always had some kind of grudge against people who upset him, and while it was endearing, it wouldn’t help when the source of said upset was his best man’s parents.
“What’s your deal anyways? It’s your wedding. Just tell them no.”
Leonid shot back a glare of his own, but it wasn’t very convincing, judging by the snicker that followed. “It’s rude to refuse a drink. Especially to your elders.”
“Guess I get it.” Ivan took the responsibility of handing him another tissue when a gag left spit trailing down his chin. “But now you’ll be damn miserable the whole time.”
“Thanks for the reminder, dumbass.” Again, it was meant to be serious. But more laughs escaped the other’s mouth. Asshole. “Can you cut it out?”
“Once you stop being funny.”
“I’m not—” Leonid sighed. “I guess in Ivan-world, you can do whatever you want?”
“Nah.” Ivan checked out the stall door, as if checking to make sure nobody was around. Which didn’t make sense with what he was saying. “I just thought you’d be better than I am, with how fondly Feofil talks about you.”
What was that supposed to mean? Leonid raised his other brow, which brought another stupid chuckle out. He was getting really sick of that.
“Yeah, it’s dumb. Whatever. Are you feeling ready to go out?”
Leonid let his anger wash away. It was his wedding, after all. He was supposed to be happy. Even though he was so wine-drunk he could barely think. “...Sure. Just don’t tell Vera I…”
“Heh, I’m not that heartless. Okay, up you go.” Ivan abruptly pulled him to his feet. It was enough to have his head spinning, collapsing into the broader man’s chest. More sickening chuckling. “Calm down. I’m not your wife.”
What??? What was that meant to—
In an instant, he was back out in the crowd, being swept up into Vera’s arms as Ivan disappeared into the crowd. Everyone was cheering, and they did some dances, but…
What did that even mean?
Why did… Something stupid like that make his chest hurt?
The next time he saw Ivan, some things had changed. He had long hair instead of a buzzcut. His hands didn’t shake as he pointed the gun at Leonid. And he hesitated just long enough upon seeing his face for Leonid to fire his shotgun right into his face.