Nobody likes weddings.


Prologue

His damn tie was wrapping his neck like a noose, chocking him. He loosened it to breathe. But it wasn't enough.

Everything seemed to be prepared to suffocate him. The soft music was a scream in his ears. Chattering of people was pounding in his skull. Kind smiles, happy smiles accompanied with sips of drinks and humans standing together in small groups as the newlyweds thanking their guests one by one with blessed smiles – everything in there was nauseating.

He freaking hated weddings.

The only thing that didn't disgust him was the served food and it was too tiny to eat.

"Having fun yet?"

His once a senior in high school and now a colleague Susa came to stand beside him.

Aomine wasn't sure if he could speak without barfing. He felt sick to his stomach. Lucky for him Susa didn't need an answer as he somewhat understood Aomine's mood.

"You better not show Momoi this." Susa sighed and gestured to Aomine's general posture. "It's her special day. Don't upset her."

"Not Momoi, it's Wakamatsu now." Aomine said in between grunting and scoffing.

"You're sure thrilled about that, huh?"

Aomine glared at the older man out of the corner of his eye. Even a chipmunk could tell his dislike of the groom after spending seconds with Aomine, let alone Susa, and it was mutual. Though he had to admit Wakamatsu made Satsuki happy, so he couldn't altogether hate the guy. Even if their happiness surfaced some personal issues of his.

With every second ticking by, hatred pulsed inside him. He hated the fact that he couldn't have his own wedding 2 years ago. He was resentful.

His family, friends, and colleagues – each and every single person around him had continued with their happy lives while he'd been left behind to drown in agony. And he regretted.

He regretted the things he hadn't done and should have done. Before he could have been happy, truly happy, it was taken away from him – his life, her.

It was like right before he'd been about to grasp everything he'd ever desired, they all had slipped away from his fingers and now he held nothing.

Emptiness was a black hole in his chest. He was numb to the emotions except hatred and resentment. He'd fallen into the misery pit and he was in too deep to even care about getting out.

He jerked when a waitress approached him to give him a new glass. Aomine held onto it like a lifeline. He realized only then that Susa was still talking and Aomine didn't hear a word. It proved to be a good thing for Aomine too since Susa had been giving him "the speech". Like Aomine hadn't heard it a million times already.

He turned his head in disinterest and his eyes landed on the newlyweds. The couple was at a relatively less crowded corner, away from the attention and Aomine decided then and there that he'd have preferred listening to Susa and even chime in the unilateral conversation than seeing this.

The couple was dancing out of sync – foreheads touching, eyes closed, and arms tangled. Wakamatsu had a stupid grin plastered on his silly face while a blissful smile was gracing Satsuki's lips. He looked away when Waka-fucking-matsu tipped his head down and to the side, towards Satsuki's waiting lips. Aomine was disgusted.

Nausea hit him back furiously. He hardly held back a barf. He needed to get out.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Susa and his useless questions.

"'M… fine… just need fresh air."

Aomine shoved his way through the exit before he would vomit all over the place. He took in deep breaths and let the oxygen with cold air settle his churning stomach. He heavily leaned on the exterior wall, looking up at the gray clouds and watching the gently falling snow.

He took out a cigarette from the pack he always carried. The taste of tobacco assaulted his tongue the moment he placed it between his lips. It was actually faint but for Aomine, who had quit smoking centuries ago, the taste was pleasingly intense.

He flinched when he heard the sound of snick-snick of a lighter. He quickly spotted the small flame flaring near his face. He focused further and saw the red that put the orange-blue flame to shame, piercing the white and gray ambient.

Crimson eyes were staring at him under the dual tone of red hair and split eyebrows on a masculine face. The man was dressed in pure white chef clothing. It was hard to distinguish his body below the neck from the background scenery of piled snow.

The flame flickered and put out eventually. The man looked at him in confusion before another flame blazed. "Are you gonna light that or what?" The dumbass-eyebrows, as Aomine named him, asked.

This time he took the opportunity to lean forward and then smoke his first cigarette in over a year. He watched the dumbass-eyebrows to light his own and move to stand by him. When he inhaled his first drag, Aomine had to cough out the smoke. The taste was nothing like he remembered. Mostly due to the tobacco going stale since his pack was at least a year old.

"What's this? First time smoker?" The dumbass (for short) mocked.

"Shut it. It's old." Aomine threw the cigarette, irritated. "Gimme one of yours."

He was aware this stranger had no reason to go along with his demand. He didn't exactly have the most pleasant personality. People who met him for the first time usually wanted to pummel his face. However, this guy seemed more amused than pissed. So he really was a dumbass in the end, Aomine figured.

He took a cigarette from the man's pack as the guy held it out for him. When he also reached for the man's lighter, the redhead batted his hand away.

"No, let me."

"What? Is lighting strangers' smokes a freakish fetish of yours?" He wanted to piss the man off. Aomine didn't know why he had the urge and the dumbass only laughed it off.

"So what's the occasion?" The redhead asked instead.

"What?"

"You didn't smoke in a while, right? You quit? Then why break it today?"

Aomine honestly wasn't expecting the man to be observant. He was surprised.

"Felt like it."

"Really?"

"Really. Have a problem with it?"

"Nope," The redhead backed off with a light chuckle.

Aomine wondered for a second how on earth this guy could be such a cheerful dumbass. Though, he was already done with having conversations so he didn't ask. He was there to smoke and relax, not to make acquaintances.

He'd have shut the redhead up if he'd kept with the questions. However, the man didn't say anything more. Maybe he sensed Aomine didn't want to talk. And the silence between them wasn't stifling, strangely so.

Aomine took the moment to relish the slight burning of his throat and the spicy taste of tobacco. He was feeling a tiny bit better. The dumbass' company wasn't the worst. Aomine might be even enjoying it.

It was a long due tranquil moment for him, almost giving a glimpse from the easy days of the past. And Aomine was definite about the redhead not jumping into a speech about "moving on" and "finding a new love to heal" any time soon.

This gave him ease; a piece of peace that his friends had failed to give him. They didn't understand. How could they when none of them had lost the most precious person to them?

They didn't get the black hatred that coated his insides and forced its way out with each thought. Nobody had any idea how it'd been like when Aomine had sought the gentle light in his fiancée's eyes in a lifeless, cold body.

A bitter laugh bubbled in his throat. His friends had been trying to push him to nothing but wrong directions in obvious attempts of comforting. They didn't realize all he needed was just some quiet. Aomine couldn't blame them. He didn't know it, too. Not until this complete stranger had given him that.

Not contemplating what to say to Aomine, no pitying and no thoughts of helping – only silence.

Aomine glanced to the side for having a better look at the man and was surprised to see no one there. How could he come and go without Aomine noticing? Wasn't he just a dumbass? He sighed and looked at the yellow filter that was left behind on the snow instead.

He took a long drag from his cigarette. He didn't thank the guy, did he? If he ever happened to come across with him again, he might then.

For now, he would throw his pack away and consider buying a new one.


A/N: The first version can be found in my AO3 account. The link is in the bio. Thanks for reading.