The Death Of Peace Of Mind

White and black wedding décor punctuated every surface outside a quaint, minimalist looking church; vibrant, freshly mown grass and a clear blue sky faded into the background compared to the slew of guests filtering in and out of the building. Pico stood idly by, leaning against the outside wall near the open door and eyeing everyone with a scrutinous gaze. Even though he worked as a merc-for-hire, not every day was filled with excitement; today, he was on security detail. He uncrossed his arms— the texture of his black tuxedo was something he still wasn't used to just yet— and instinctively pat his handgun over his pocket. His anxiety had been bothering him a lot more than usual today, but knowing his weapon was nearby comforted him. When things went awry, the hunk of metal never let him down.

When his high-school ex had called him the week before, he had no idea what to expect. After several moments of internal panic, and one long conversation later, it was made apparent that Boyfriend was getting married to Girlfriend. Pico didn't think much of marriage, let alone this one in particular; even worse, Boyfriend wanted Pico to be there "for protection". What he needed protection from, Pico had no idea, but he had agreed without needing much convincing. Looking back, he really wished he would have taken at least an hour to think it over. He'd damned himself to a day of watching his ex swoon over his partner— a partner that wasn't a redheaded schizophrenic mercenary.

Pico never really got over him; they had met in sophomore year of high school, and became fast friends. He'd fallen for the cyan-haired boy hard, spending almost every waking moment with him when he had the means. It was no surprise that Boyfriend started to return those feelings, and when Pico irrevocably confessed, the only possible answer to that was to start a relationship together. It was truly sunshine and rainbows— at first. They were happy for a long time (or at least a long time for the mercenary), and Darnell and Nene took to him like a building on fire; they'd all hang out after school, listening to music, creating sick mixtapes, and rap battling each other until they had to go back home.

The anniversary of their first year together was probably the happiest Pico had ever been. They'd taken a day trip to the beach, basking in the heat and cuddling on the sand until the sun started to set. Then, they'd had this huge fire and talked about their lives, made plans for the future, and promised to stay by one another's side. It was bittersweet to think about, knowing now that the promise was eventually broken. But, he didn't blame Boyfriend for that in the slightest. After the incident in senior year, Pico was changed. He was flighty, and almost never showed up to class anymore. Any other time he'd spent with Boyfriend was punctuated by screaming matches, insane ramblings, accusatory language, or the cold shoulder. Then, he started throwing things, or shooting the wall, or waving his gun around like it wasn't loaded. Even though his partner was clinically unafraid of anything (except for lightning), he had enough sense to start to distance himself. When things became too much, Pico became the military's errand boy, losing himself in violence by day and attempting to salvage what was left of their relationship by night.

When he finally came back, he was much worse than before. His PTSD nearly totally impaired him, and he refused to take medication to ease the hallucinations or delusions (he had several episodes thinking the pills were poison, which was reason enough for the merc to leave them be). When he found himself practically about to murder Boyfriend, he knew it was over.

It was obviously for the best.

Over the years, they'd remained loosely connected, but nowhere near the same level as before. Any time they were around each other, it was by complete accident. Ex-rap star Daddy Dearest hired Pico to take him out, but instead, he'd joined Boyfriend's forces and fought against Tankman's army. After that, they remained friendly, but never close. It's yet another reason why the invite to this wedding was so... out of place.