Work Text:
It all started with a simple question, an invitation
“Hey Flux, would you like to accompany me to a wedding next weekend?”
An ivory invitation was held out in front of his face. Fluixon took it, first observing the floral decoration bordering the center where it read in pristine lettering, “Cellbit and Roier invite you to celebrate their wedding” followed by the date and location where it would take place. A brief piece of information about Quesadilla Island came to Flux’s mind. It was far away, perhaps half a day by plane if his calculations were correct.
“Who are they and why are you being invited?” he asked, looking doubtfully at the invitation, wondering if he should keep it.
“One of the grooms is my friend Evbo's cousin. Evbo won't be able to go because he got into trouble with his boyfriend, or whatever it is between him and Seawatt,” Saps explained, looking away as he tried to remember all the details, ultimately realizing it was unnecessary and summarizing his story. “Evbo asked me to go in his place and take food, gifts, or whatever. Apparently, his cousin’s future husband is rich as hell. I think he has a castle or something, so the party will be legendary.”
“And why are you inviting me if you were asked to go?”
“Why? Don’t be silly, Flux. You’re my best friend. Who else would I go with to eat and have a great time at a party where we’ll be the only strangers?” The strangely soft words and the smile that Saps gave him at the end of his explanation definitely didn’t make Flux blush.
Almost a week had passed, and the wedding to which he had been so kindly invited was just around the corner.
Fluixon hadn't slept a wink in all those days. Every time he tried to close his eyes and rest from the intense school day, his mind took him to scenes, scenes of disgusting saturated colors where the common denominator was Saps.
Saps in a white suit with a bouquet in his hands approaching Flux at the altar, Jophiel at his side, sometimes Snowbird, and on one occasion, if he remembered correctly, it was his other brother, Micro, who carried Saps and handed him over to Flux.
The dreams didn't last long. As soon as their eyes met and they shared smiles under the light streaming through the stained-glass windows, Flux would wake up with a start, bathed in sweat, his head boiling and his heart about to explode.
He calmed himself down, telling himself that this nightmare was nothing more than that.
However, when he went back to sleep, the rumbling in his chest remained, and in his dreams, Saps never returned.
On Friday afternoon, they met at the airport, each accompanied by some of their friends who said goodbye as if their separation were to last many years and not just a weekend.
“Are you sure you packed everything you need, Saps?” Jophiel asked her younger brother, all too accustomed to the mishaps that plagued every family trip.
“Yes, Jophiel,” Saps snorted, tightening his grip on his suitcase. “And if I forget something, I can always borrow it from Flux, right, Flux?”
Saps' pale face turned toward him with a mocking smile that curved not unlike the one in his dreams, only the gentleness (affection) was replaced by mockery.
“See? He didn't say no, so that means yes, right?”
Flux hadn't even realized that he had fallen into a trance just by seeing Saps' smile.
“What? No, idiot, I'm not going to lend you anything of mine.”
Then, a blonde man aproached, interrumping the scene, “Thanks for helping me with this dude. Enjoy yourself in my place.” Evbo was even there to say goodbye to the pair. “It won't be hard to recognize my cousin. We're almost identical, so don't worry.”
The 12-hour flight flew by in the blink of an eye, or at least it did for Saps, who put on an eye mask to sleep and snored for almost half the day with his head resting on Flux.
Flux, on the other hand, barely blinked, afraid that his dreams would repeat the same script that had been playing out every night for almost a week.
So, to avoid falling back into those nightmares, he turned on the small TV and put on his headphones, trying not to move Saps' head and wake him up. The 12 hours passed slowly and torturously with a warm body on his right side and soft breathing in his ear.
Early Saturday morning, they had landed and checked into their hotel.
“Ohhh, so this is Quesadilla Island.” Saps looked refreshed as he gazed out the hotel window at the incredible structures and views the island had to offer. Flux sat on the bed, his gaze focused more on his friend's visible smile and wide eyes full of curiosity than on the landscape outside the window.
“I hope you enjoy the island.” The strange mascot, polar bear, animatronic, or whatever it was, had guided them to the outdoor wedding venue. Red carpet, wooden seats, a small white chapel, and cherry trees around them shedding their pink leaves and blowing in the wind.
And after the initial chaos on the part of one of the bride and groom, the guests, and the priest (Saps and Flux remained still, sitting in the back seats, watching curiously), the groom in a black suit appeared, and the commotion gradually subsided, allowing the music and sobs to fill the space.
“Those two are really in love,” whispered Saps beside him. “Look how they look at each other, only the other exists in their eyes.”
And Flux watched them. Saps was right. Cellbit and Roier looked at each other as if the world around them did not exist and it was just the two of them. The memory of a familiar look in his terrible dreams made him feel nauseous.
The wedding went on, with a few hiccups (someone objecting, the groom accidentally getting teased), but by sunset everyone was at the after-party. The bride and groom danced, wrapped around each other, some guests also danced, singing out of tune to the songs played by the DJ (the priest himself), the children played some songs, and some drunk people sang.
Flux and Saps were eating the incredible three-tiered cake with figurines of the newlyweds when they were interrupted by one of the grooms.
“You're Evbo Evbito's friend, right? Pobre pendejo que no pudo venir” Evbo was right, he and Roier did look (quite) alike. The color of their skin and hair was different but the facial expressions were really similar “Se la estan pasando chido? Eh—are you having a good time?”
“Yes.”
“Oh yeah, it's really nice.”
“Take the centerpiece with you when you leave and bring one to Evbo too, oh! And—” Roier was interrupted, one of the guests whispered something in his ear and Roier smiled. “Ah! si cierto we, it's time to throw the bouquet, atentos okay? Attention.” He winked at the couple before climbing onto the stage where his husband was waiting for him. They both threw their bouquets of roses to the crowd gathered below the stage.
At the count of three, the two bouquets flew over the guests, one of the bouquets landed directly in Saps' lap, who just looked at Flux in surprise and laughed before all the guests applauded and congratulated them.
“I guess now I have to find someone to marry.” Saps laughed, and Flux's nails dug into his palms almost until they bled.
At one in the morning, they returned to their hotel room.
With slow, stumbling steps, Flux's trembling hand took the keys from his suit and opened the door while Saps leaned on him to walk. When they reached the first bed, he dropped his semi-conscious friend onto the mattress and went to the bathroom to change into more comfortable clothes for sleeping, but a weak grip on his sleeve stopped him.
“Where are you going? Are you mad at me?” Saps' voice was light, weak, as if it were about to break. Flux attributed it to vulnerability from the alcohol.
“What are you talking about?” he replied, turning to look at his drunk friend's face. Saps' eyes were narrowed, but those golden eyes were completely fixed on him.
“You've been acting weird the whole trip. Is it because I forced you to come here?”
“What? No, I'm not upset.”
“Then why are you acting like this? More cold and distant than usual, at the party your face was so dark that I thought you were going to kill everyone there or something.”
“I—” Flux looked at Saps, lying on white sheets, staring at him with a sadness that broke his heart. Then he thought about what Saps said, about his recent cold attitude, realizing how that unknown feeling that appeared in his chest when he remembered those dreams where he and his best friend got married made him act that way, how hatred exploded in his chest just imagining Saps holding that bouquet and marrying someone else.
“Marry me,” he blurted out. “Lately I've been having dreams about you and me in a church with our loved ones. I can't stand the idea of you marrying someone else. So marry me.”
“Flux...” Saps' golden eyes opened and before anything else embarrassing could come out of his mouth, Flux was suddenly pulled down onto the bed next to Saps. “Yes, Flux, let's get married, let's be very happy and have lots of cats.” Saps wrapped his arms around Flux's neck and pressed his lips to his, sealing their new promise with a kiss.