"Best Friends"

Celebration

"We can be ourselves, finally." Dark sighed in content as he loosened his red tie slightly, smirking as he watched Anti mess with his hair to return it to its original poofy state.

"Hey nerd, I wanna talk to ya!" Mark shouted from where he was standing by the gazebo next to Amy, Jack, and Signe.

"I'll be back." Dark promised Anti, kissing his cheek before walking over to his cousin.

"So, are you sure you still want to do this?" Mark asked Dark in a conspiratorial whisper, glancing over Dark's shoulder to make sure Anti wasn't listening.

"Honestly, no." Dark admitted nervously as he anxiously ran a hand through his hair.

"C'mon, I spent hours practicing!" Jack whined like a child, causing Dark to chuckle lightly in response.

"Alright alright, I'll still do it. Where are we setting this up?" Dark asked Jack.

"Distract Anti, we'll set everything up on the gazebo." Mark instructed, patting Dark on the back before walking off with Jack.

"What's up Darki?" Anti asked Dark as he walked up behind his husband, wrapping his arms around Dark and resting his head on Dark's shoulder.

"N-nothing much, Mark and Jack are just setting up the snack table and stuff." Dark lied.

In reality, Amy and Signe had already taken care of refreshments and had moved chairs out of the way for dancing, but Anti didn't know that.

"I know you're lying when you stutter, so spill the beans Mr." Anti whispered in Dark's ear.

"It's nothing." Dark assured Anti, mentally cursing his inability to hide secrets as he craned his neck to look at Anti.

"C'mon, let's go on a walk." Dark continued, taking Anti's hand before the male could protest and dragging him away.

Dark glanced back over his shoulder and saw Jack setting his drum set up on the gazebo while Mark fiddled with a mike stand, his cousin looking up at Dark to hold up seven fingers.

I have to distract Anti for seven minutes while they finish getting everything ready, Dark thought as he returned his attention to Anti.

"So, any reason why we're leaving our own party without telling anyone?" Anti questioned as he held Dark's hand in his.

"You'll see." Dark promised with a smile as they walked towards the nearby park.

The peaceful atmosphere shifted instantly when the pair spotted a familiar face they hadn't seen since high school, causing them to freeze in their tracks.

Xilef was sitting at a bench off of the side of the path dressed in a black suit and sky blue tie, his cool gaze boring into Dark's.

"Why are you here?" Dark demanded defensively as he stood in front of Anti to protect him.

"I heard about the wedding and decided it wouldn't hurt to visit you guys." Xilef stated simply with a shrug as he stood up, straightening his tie.

"If you're expecting a warm greeting or anything, you're not getting it." Anti growled.

"I know that. Actually, I figured I'd find you guys and thank you." Xilef corrected.

"For what?" Dark countered warily.

"In high school, I was a bitch, I know that. Anti, for a time I really did love you, but at that dance....I remembered the heartbroken look in Dark's eyes when I took you away from him, so I found a random drunk girl and kissed her to drive you away." Xilef confessed.