𝙲𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚎 𝚁𝚞𝚗 𝙾𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝𝚜

𝙰𝚏𝚏𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚘 𝚡 𝙴𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚛 | 𝙲𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝙳

Requested by nightrunnerthe3rd! I'm so sorry this is incredibly late, it's been such a busy month 😭

TW // angst, feelings of guilt

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It didn't matter how many times the church bell chimed in exclaimation. It didn't matter how many times the best man hurried him along, urging him to do something, anything. It didn't matter how much the guests complained about the long wait, or the room temperature. Affogato had made up his mind, and he wasn't coming out of that room anytime soon.

Today was supposed to be a monumental day for the young man; you only marry the love of your life - for the first time, that is, once. Ever since he was a little boy, he'd dreamed of the day he married his knight in shining armor. And if that knight just happened to be the dorkiest historian ever known to man, you ask? Why, that would be lovely, too.

But to his disappointment, this day was not feeling any more magical than he'd made it out to be, all those years. His wedding dress was feeling less glamorous than it had the first time he'd tried it on - he couldn't explain it, it was merely an instinctive thing. He'd already passed up a gorgeous hotel breakfast, all thanks to the butterflies darting around in his stomach. And the guests? Oh, the guests. It made him nervous as could be, to know that they were perched out there, observing his each and every move.

Though he wouldn't utter a word about it to a single soul, Affogato immensely regretted having suggested having such a big wedding. Normally, he would welcome the attention; he adored his place in the spotlight. But most of these people knew him. They knew him all too well.

But it was the old him they'd painted a picture of in their minds; the one that he had locked away, in the deepest, darkest chambers of his heart. They all knew his malicious side. The side that took pleasure in manipulation, the side that interfered with people's happiness, the side that-

... that he wanted to bury, forever.

Affogato wanted to believe that being with Eclair had changed him. He would even go as far as to think that he was almost a whole new person, now. A person who loved and felt loved. A person who recognized the negative consequences of his actions. A person who, even though, grew up in such a severe way, was able to grow.

But it would never fool them all, would it? What I once was is all they will see me for. You've gone and done it again, Affogato. The words invaded his sense of rationality.

He fiddled with his hands anxiously, picking at the nails he'd specially picked out for the wedding. The man was on a downhill spiral, that much was clear. This wedding was already going downhill so fast; he almost wondered if it would be simpler to...

Quit, while they were ahead?

Affogato internally cursed at himself, shaking his head rapidly. "Oh... how could I ever think something so cruel, like that? Eclair has given me everything I could've asked for... and here is am, letting a plethora of silly opinions steer me from going through with this."

Hoping to ease the guests' impatience building up outside, Crunchy Chip threw open the door, using the knuckle of his index finger to sarcastically knock. He had only agreed to be his old neighbor's best man because he didn't see him convincing anyone else to do it, but the longer and harder the groom made this for him, the more he considered ditching. "Affogato," the short man started, tugging on the collar of his uncomfortable suit, "you plan on comin' out, or what? Guests are gettin' pretty feisty out there, and they're ready to see some sappy sh*t!" He urged.

Affogato whipped around, snapping at him. "Crunchy Chip, do I look like I'm ready to go out there, yet?" The man glared at him, his heels clicking against the hard floor as he quickly stomped over to him. "I thought I already told you, I will come out when I'm ready." Despite the way the groom's hand balled up into a fist, it was quite clearly shaking.

Crunchy Chip - who was now standing on his tiptoes, trying to make eye contact back at the other, noticed the fact immediately. But pointing it out would only make matters worse. "Take a look out there, would 'ya? People are startin' to leave!"

Quit pressuring me!

"Do I need to get Eclair back here, or will you drag that stubborn *ss of yours out here?"

Affogato's eyes widened intensely at even the thought of him, fetching the blonde. Feeling threatened - and a million other emotions, he grabbed onto Chip's collar, his grip tighter than the other predicted. "If you utter a word of this to Eclair, then you will live to regret it."

Crunchy Chip, startled by the sudden change of tone, latched onto the other's wrist. Desperate to separate himself from the other, petrified by the now crazed look in Affogato's eyes, the best man pulled the other's hand away. When he succeeded, he let out a small gasp and untied his bowtie, throwing it onto the floor. "I quit, man, you're insane."

Affogato watched the ex-best man storm out, his hands gradually beginning to shake more. What had he done?

It was almost like he had an obsession with making things worse.

Spontaneously, the groom gathered up a few items, tucking them away under his arms. Glancing back at the door where Eclair was happily waiting for him one last time, Affogato blinked back tears before deciding to leave. He took his heels off, leaving them on the steps of the entrance before sprinting off.

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Eclair had been standing at the alter, happily unaware of the situation at hand. To pass the time, the blonde had been quietly admiring the skilled handwork that went into making his tux. Even the tailcoat was perfect!

He needed to have something to distract him from how long this was taking. The groom's mind was beginning to wander to darker places, he would admit that much, but he trusted Affogato. The two were one hundred percent honest with each other, and he knew the shorter man wouldn't abandon him on his wedding day... that would be ludicrous!

Eclair's strange feeling of calm was about to be wrecked, however, as a short man with dark skin and a very wrinkled bowtie-less collar stormed up to the alter. Though the blonde didn't know Crunchy Chip all that well, there was a look of bewilderment that he could read like a book. Oh, dear... something is most definitely wrong. "Crunchy Chip, is it? Is, erm... everything okay, back the-"

Crunchy Chip looked into the groom's eyes, his eyebrows furrowing in disgust. "Look, Eclair, I'm sorry to tell you this, but that stupid fiance of yours isn't comin' out. In all honesty, though, 'ya might have dodged a bullet, 'cause he's crazy."

Eclair felt his heart skip a beat. "..what?"

This couldn't be happening. Him and Affogato were happy together. They had talked about this marriage for a while, and the other had seemed so... so ecstatic to be going through with this. Why was he getting cold feet, now?

Crunchy Chip ran his fingers through his hair, sighing. "Yeah. Dude tried to threaten me into not telling you, but 'ya got a right to know, y'know?"

Breaking free from his fear induced paralysis, Eclair started jogging towards the entrance. He didn't care that the guests were clamoring; all he wanted was to see his fiance at the end of that hall.

But to his disappointment, all that remained were his expensive heels. Where he had gone off to, the historian had no clue. All he knew was the aching in his heart.

Without looking back at the guests, without giving Crunchy Chip another glance, Eclair abandoned all thoughts of rationality and dashed off. "Affogato? Affogato, where are you?!"

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Word Count: 1349

A/N: I had a small patch of writer's block when I wrote this, and I wanted to go farther than I got towards the end, so I definitely see a part two in this oneshot's future.

Happy April Fool's day!