“My true love of ten years is getting married and I’m one of the groomsmen.”

Neil’s smile falls, brows furrowing.

“What?” He asks before he can stop himself. The grin on Al’s face gains a bitter edge as he turns his gaze back to the sky.

“Yep.” His expression further twists into something more strained, as though he’s trying to hold something back. “She thought it would be cool because we’ve been- ugh- friends for so long. Her stupid fiancé asked me to be his groomsman to be nice.”

“And you said yes?” Neil tries to make sense of what he’s saying, but nothing has made solid sense to him since his first cocktail.

“What was I supposed to do?! It’s a secret, a secret!” Al wails, throwing his arms up into the air with clawed fingers that he brings back down to dig into his hair. “They don’t know I’m in a one sided love and I’m not gonna give that up now! That’s like… that’s like… a stupid thing! To do!”

“Sucks t’ be you.” Neil shrugs, also returning his attention to the blank sky above them.

“Y’know, it does suck. And I never had a chance ‘cause she’s a ‘beta.’” He pulls his hands away from his hair to make air quotes around the word beta, spitting it out like it tastes bad on his tongue. Neil’s lips pull back in a sneer, twisting his head to the side to glare at Al.

“Got a problem with betas?” Neil hisses out, nails digging into the back of his hands that are folded on top of his stomach.

“No! She does! I asked her- so many times- I asked her if she would date an alpha.” Al’s hands flail around as he talks, words barely understandable but flowing like a river from his lips. “Because, y’know, I’m an alpha and all. I jus’ wanted to know if she’d date me without having to ask that specifically. And she goes-”

Al clears his throat, his voice pitching up a few octaves, giving his best impression of the mystery, one sided love.

“Oh Al- just like that- oh Al! Why would I date an alpha? Betas aren’t meant to be with alphas. They’ll always want an omega, and the same goes the other way around. They’ll only leave me for someone else, so why would I do that? It’s just biology. It’s just biology.” His attempt at a girl's voice is heavily laced with sarcasm and Neil has a faint suspicion that this retelling has been a little embellished, but he lets it slide. “How stupid is that?! That- that- that- It’s so stupid!”

Neil can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of him then. It comes out sounding less humorous and more like something that would come from an evil villain. Al furrows his brows at him, hands lowering to rest on his forehead.

“What’s so funny?” He grumbles.

“Well she’s right, isn’t she? Betas should be with betas.” Neil nods to himself. This mystery love is smart, if only he had thought that way when he met Kash. But no, he had to give in to love like an idiot and get screwed over years later when the damage would be significantly harder to deal with.

“No! That’s not- it shouldn’t- you- argh!” Al roars, flinging his arms out and they land on the grass above his head. “You’re a beta, why would you think- why would- just why?!”

The wicked grin on Neil’s face makes Al scoot a bit away from him. Yet he waits for a response to his question, maintaining eye contact with a fierce determination.

“That’s ‘cause it’s my reason for being lonely. I’m dating an alpha. Three years.” Neil holds up three fingers and wiggles them in Al’s face. “And I watched him cheat on me with an omega. Right in front of me. He looked happy about it too.”

A beat of silence passes. Al’s mouth goes slack, hanging open with bulging eyes pointed at Neil. Neil nods at the reaction in understanding. That’s how he felt too when he found out, except it was less shock and more a brutal stabbing pain gutting him from the inside out. It still guts him, he’s just too drunk to worry about it right now, which is the whole point of tonight. After a while, his companion's mouth clicks shut and his expression gets serious.

“Alright, you win.” Al concedes, looking vaguely sulky about it.

“Nice. What do I win?” Neil’s face relaxes back into something more neutral, thinking of a glittering, gold trophy.

“My respect.” Al closes his eyes, pressing a hand to his chest and nodding sagely. Neil huffs out a large puff of air.

“Pft- lame.”

Al ignores the comment, brows furrowing as he lays there for a second.

“What’s so great about being in a relationship, anyways?” He mumbles, like a child pouting over something they can’t have. Which, probably, isn’t all that far off given the situation. Neil chuckles.

“Love and affection? However long that lasts for.” Neil answers blandly, making Al snort, his smile quickly returning.

“Marriage can’t be any better then.”

“Sounds like a scam.”

“You ever been?”

“Been what?”

“Married.”

“Nah."

“Do you want to get married?”

Neil stares blankly at Al, who stares back equally blankly, eyes glazed over and glittering with something he can’t quite name. They stay like that in silence for a bit until Neil’s mouth slowly opens, his entire body feeling like it’s been submerged in sludge.

“Meh. Who would I even get married to at this point?” He did think about it once. It would've been him and Kash against the world. Without that, he really has no idea what the future could have for him anymore. If it only took three years of giving himself away to another person for him to get betrayed, then why do that to himself again with anyone else?

“Me?”

Neil blinks.

“What?”

“We could get married. See what the big deal’s about.” Al answers with a dopey grin. It takes a lot of time for Neil to fully understand where they are in the conversation right now. When it clicks, he shoots up and almost sends himself flying forward and back onto his face for the second time that night.

“Why would we do that?” He twists around to face Al who just shrugs.

“Why not?”

Which is… fair. Neil observes him, eyes a bit unfocused but present enough to look over the guy beside him. He brings a finger to his chin and rubs it in thought, although his brain stumbles over itself, still trying to comprehend the situation. Somewhere in the back of his head he gets it, however it gets lost in translation as he just stares and debates how to respond. He’s done a lot of things tonight, half of them he already lost the memories of. What’s one more stupid thing to add to the pile? After all, they were all talking in the car ride over here about finishing up their little party. It couldn't hurt to end it with a bang.

Al goes cross eyed trying to stare at his nose, mind already drifting away from the subject of the conversation he initiated. At least he does until a hand slams on his chest and jolts him back into the moment. 

“Yeah sure.” Neil is grinning at him, wild and bright.

“Yeah sure, what? I’m lost.” Al rubs at the spot he got hit when Neil starts pushing himself onto his feet, swaying slightly.

“Let’s get married. That’s something people do in Vegas.” Neil replies, steadying himself and waiting for the ground to stop moving beneath his feet. 

A glint of understanding flashes in Al’s eyes and he immediately scrambles to stand up. He has a harder go of it than Neil did, causing the beta to lean down and offer some support. It’s a team effort to get themselves standing without the risk of falling over.

“Heck yeah- marriage time.” Al uses the hand not thrown over Neil’s shoulder to offer a fist which Neil bumps with his own. Together they amble the short way back to the car where the others are already waiting.

Red shirt is leaning against the hood, chatting cheerfully with Bella, faces close enough that their noses are almost touching. Beer girl has her back pressed to the rear tire, new stains on the front of her shirt. Angry girl crouches beside her, patting her shoulder with one hand and using the other to fan her with a hot pink, feather boa.

It’s Bella who notices their approach, doing a double take and pulling herself away from red shirt who slumps forward just as she turns away.

“There you guys are! We’re about to head out.” She garbles, her voice a jumble of sounds. Al raises his hand, wordlessly asking for permission to speak, and she points at him in approval.

“We’re gonna get married.” He jabs a thumb at Neil who nods. The entire group is staring at them now, all sharing similar expressions of shock. It lasts for half a second before a new wave of energy rolls over them.

“Ayo, congrats guys! When’s the wedding?” Angry girl asks, giving them a thumbs up.

“We have time to do it now, I think.” Neil replies, glancing down at his watch only to find that he can’t read the numbers. “People do that in Vegas, right? I saw it in a movie once.”

“Oh, dude! I know a guy!” Red shirt straightens up with a bounce in his step. “I got a friend who does the whole wedding thing at our local church. It’s like, uh… a few streets away!”

“Bridesmaids!” Bella cries, launching forward and taking their shirt collars in each of her hands. “I’ve always wanted to be a bridesmaid! Can I? Can we? Please?”

“Do you guys even have… like… rings or anything?” Beer girl chimes in from her spot on the sidewalk.

Neil and Al pause, turning to look at each other. Cogs and wheels turn in their brains, none of them on the same page. It isn’t until Neil gives a nod, not entirely sure what he’s even nodding for, Al seems to agree with it and turns back to face the group. His free hand points out at the street as he beams.

“We got some shopping to do and then onwards to mater- matter- uh- matri- we’re getting married!” Al calls out, earning a group cheer. That’s all it takes for the group to shuffle back into the car. Red shirt hops into the driver's seat, shouts out a quick ‘hang on,’ then they’re back on the road for their final adventure of the night.