Work Text:
Tango sat down on the bench across from Jimmy at the Mcdonalds closest to their home, setting down the tray of their food.
The two of them had just gone to their school’s homecoming game of their senior year, having hung out together all night.
Jimmy grabbed a french fry from the tray, smiling wide and laughing as he told his best friend about something that had happened in one of his classes that day.
The shorter blond smiled, a warmth spreading across his cheeks as his crush laughed, fond adoration filling his chest.
Tango blinks again, whipping away a tear or two as he looks at Jimmy’s face, at his smiles as he stares ahead of him, lovingly into his beloved’s eyes, Scott’s eyes.
Tango stands there, smiling, Jimmy’s best man at his wedding.
“You may now kiss the groom.” the officiant says to Scott and Jimmy.
The two men smile at each other, holding each other’s hands, staring at each other before Jimmy leans down, pressing their lips together, officially sealing the marriage.
Everyone cheers, clapping, including Tango, but something in his chest breaks at the sight.
He’s still in love with Jimmy, even now, even though Jimmy met and started to date Scott four years ago, Tango has loved Jimmy since they were sixteen, their twenty-six now.
Almost every day for the past four years, Tango has regretted not telling Jimmy how he feels, but as he watches Jimmy and Scott pull away from kissing, looking at each other with looks that convey absolute adoration and appreciation, the feeling feels final.
-⬘♡⬘♡⬘♡⬘-
Tango stands against the wall at the back of the wedding reception, sipping a glass of champagne, and one of Scott’s friends, Sausage, is giving a speech about something he and Scott did in college.
Tango stands there, fighting back the urge to cry, hiding a quivering lip he’s biting with his glass.
He’s been slowly unraveling the whole night so far, fighting back the urge to just sob with grief of what is never going to come, of love held back.
As Sausage finishes up his speech, Jimmy takes the mic, announcing dinner is ready for everyone.
Tango knocks back the last of his champagne, setting the glass down, excusing himself to the bathroom.
The blond walks in, going to the mirror, looking directly at himself, planting his hand on the sink counter as a tear slips down his cheek, having escaped the corner of his eyes.
After the first one, they start to fall, one after the other, faster and faster until he’s full of sobbing, his hand sliding into his hair as his face tingles.
His knees feel weak so he goes over to the wall, hiding in the corner, pulling his knees up to his chest, elbows on his knees, hands in his hair, pulling at it as gasps for air between sobs.
Tango feels like he’s dying, he feels sick, his whole body aches, he feels like he’s going to puke, he hates it, he wants to die, this is horrible, why does he have to feel like this.
The blond sobs, tears pouring down his face, he feels broken.
His skin burns as he feels a hand on his shoulder.
Tango looks up, though with blurry eyes, he sees one of his closest friends, Skizz.
“Oh, buddy.” Skizz says sympathetically, crouching down in front of his friend, facing him, he’s one of the only people Tango’s told about how he feels for Jimmy, Skizz, Impulse, Zed, and Etho, the only people who know.
“I-...should-...have-...t-told-...him!” Tango says between gasps of air, whipping at his cheeks, tears rapidly falling.
“Tango-”
“Skizz-..I love-...him.” Tango sobs, “I love him-...so much.”
“I know you do.” Skizz says.
“I-I-...I can’t-...I-....I can’t breathe.” Tango wheezes out, clutching at his chest.
The blond unbuttons his dress shirt with shaky hands, blurry eyes barely able to see what he’s doing.
Once the shirt is out of the way, Tango unzips the binder he had on, making it just a little easier for him to breathe.
A suit jacket is wordlessly placed over his front, covering him up.
Tango looks at Skizz, thankful for his friend.
“Do you want a hug?”
Tango nods, leaning forward a bit, being pulled into a hug, being held to Skizz’s chest as he sobs.