For ricochetingbullets; surprise wedding date

[starless_sky]

 
continued from here

Normally weddings were boring for Noctis. Too many people. Too much attention. He wasn't the target audience for weddings. He was a great dancer but he didn't like to show it in public, he didn't like schmoozing with people he barely knew, didn't like being held hostage by someone's grandma asking when he's getting married. This time he'd have to vehemently insist he may not ever get married. After this whole thing with Mr.Poindexter, Noct was pretty sure he never wanted to marry at all.

He'd told his friends after they noticed his paranoia. It had been horrible explaining it and they tried to support him but it just wasn't adding up. In the eyes of society Dex did nothing wrong. Noct tried to explain that is exactly the point, that Dex was acting in a way that seemed innocent to make him sound crazy. Who breaks into someone's apartment to steal things only to return them later? And not only return them but to talk to him and stay over and fuck him? Noctis couldn't even call it rape out loud. He always submitted. In those moments with Dex he wanted it the same as he wanted it at the hotel. He never went to the police or a doctor after... though he started birth control. 

He started birth control! For the guy raping him! For his stalker! He said it was for himself but... he just... wasn't ready for that and if anything happened. If he got pregnant, Dex would never leave. 

His friends found all this charming. What a dashing guy! What a rogue! 'He must really love you Noct! He must be smitten! We're so jealous!'

No matter how he tried to explain it was messed up to break into someone's house, because he never gave Dex his address let alone a key, his friends didn't see it as weird. It was just how alphas were when they wanted someone. So many omegas would give anything to be pursued like that. Isn't he grateful? Doesn't he see how LUCKY he is?? Noct tried to tell them this wasn't a fairytale but it fell on deaf ears. 

"When are you going to bring him around? When are we gonna meet this guy?"

"My stalker? Never hopefully."

"UGH. Noct. You do NOT have a stalker. You have a boyfriend. Stop being disrespectful."

"Disrespectful??"

"How do you think he'd feel if he knew you were calling him that behind his back? Alphas value respect from their omegas. You're new to this so maybe you don't know but you have to learn how to talk about and around him. It could get you in trouble." 

 

It was concluded that Noct was simply new to dating and given his general aloofness, he was not adapting well to having a partner. So they gave him grace about it. Grace! They gave HIM grace! They gave him advice about 'how to talk to alphas' and how alphas expect a certain deference from their partners and 'how to be an empowered omega while also being a trad wife omega'. It was gross. He felt gross. He needed better friends. 

But his friends were good people... they wouldn't ALL think that, right? 

 

So he was anxious about getting through today without being asked why he didn't bring a plus one. He was here at the venue all dolled up in his suit and his hair gelled just so. He looked good and he was loitering the grounds trying to find a place to be alone. It was gorgeous. This wedding was held at the botanical gardens with the main building rented out for the reception. It had luxurious lounge rooms, a dining hall, a kitchen, and a second floor where the bridal party were cloistered. Outside people were milling about, drinking already. The weather was perfect for a wedding so people were chatty.

Relatives and friends were arriving in greater abundance. More and more people were shuffling about, bored, looking for conversation. Noct ducked around a corner before he could be spotted and pretended to be admiring some climbing roses. He just had to make it to the ceremony and no one would talk to him and then he could feign intoxication until it was polite to leave. 

And hopefully Dex wasn't in his apartment right now re-appropriating his stuff.