“I know, I know. You will tell me I am being stupid. That I should just be happy and stop thinking too much.”
“I wasn't going to say that.”
He looked at me, surprised. “No?”
“No. I was going to say that if this was a dream, it'd be a shit one. Dreams don't make you wear uncomfortable masks or stand in front of two hundred people. They're easier than this.”
Viktor stared at me for a second, then burst out laughing. “This is your pep talk? That my wedding is too annoying to be a dream?”
“It's working, isn't it?”
“Da. Is working.” He clapped my shoulder, grip firm.
“Everything's not perfect.”
“No. But is real. And real is better.”
The door opened. Adrian appeared, already masked, immaculate in black. “You two finished with whatever this is? People are seated.”
Viktor straightened, rolled his shoulders back. “We are finished. Dom gave me pep talk.”
Adrian looked at me. “How'd that go?”
“Told him his wedding's too annoying to be a dream.”
“Christ.” Adrian shook his head. “That actually worked?”
“It worked,” Viktor confirmed. He pulled his mask on, adjusted it one last time. “Okay. I am ready. Let us go get married before I change my mind.”
“You're not changing your mind,” Adrian said.
“I know. But saying it makes me feel brave.” Viktor moved toward the door, paused beside Adrian. “Thank you. For everything.”
Adrian's expression softened. “Get out there before Sebastian thinks you've run.”
We followed Viktor out into the corridor, footsteps echoing on marble. The palace was ridiculous. All gilt and crystal and portraits of the dead. But it was beautiful too, in that untouchable way expensive things always were.
“You good?” I asked Viktor as we approached the ballroom.
“No. But I will be.” He glanced at me. “You good?”
“I'm not the one getting married.”
“True. But you are one standing beside me. So. You good?”
I thought about it. About standing in front of two hundred people, about witnessing something this important, about being trusted with this. “Yeah. I'm good.”
“Liar. But I appreciate effort.”
The ballroom doors opened. Music swelled. Viktor took a breath, squared his shoulders, and walked toward his future like he'd walked into a hundred fights.
The ceremony was mercifully short.Viktor and Sebastian stood at the front of the room, framed by white roses and enough candles to be a fire hazard, and said words that were probably beautiful but I was too focused on not looking like an idiot to properly hear.
I stood beside Viktor, Dmitri on his other side, both of us playing the role of his family. Sebastian's side was full—actual family, the kind that showed up and smiled and didn't try to kill you. Viktor's side was smaller. More selective. Harder-earned.
When Viktor slid the ring onto Sebastian's finger, his hands shook. Not much. But enough that I saw it. Sebastian smiled at him, said something too quiet for anyone else to hear, and Viktor's whole body relaxed.
They kissed. The room erupted in applause. Viktor's hand found mine for half a second, squeezed once, then let go.
