Chapter Text
The wedding continued to run in a fluid motion. The rings were exchanged, and Sasuke waited for his moment. The moment that the priest would stop and say: "If there is any reason that these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."
He'd first contemplate the priest's words and understand that the word "forever" meant a really long time, but appreciate that nothing ever lasted forever. Still, his eyes would narrow and jealousy would burn within his irises as he'd see you standing opposite his brother. He'd come to the conclusion that his reason for not speaking up would be stupid. He'd know that your and Itachi's forever was, without doubt, going to last that long. He'd grit his teeth and refuse to hold his tongue any longer, because he wouldn't want it to end like this.
With forced boldness, he'd raise his hand as the audience and couple stare in shock. He'd tell everyone exactly why the two of you shouldn't be married, and he'd say, "Because...I'm the one who was always in love with her". He'd march right up to the alter with his shoes clicking loudly on the marble flooring and kneel down in front of you. He'd gently and swiftly steal your hand from his brother's grip. Sasuke would look you deeply in your eyes, just like Itachi had, and say loud enough for all to hear, "I know you told me you didn't love me the same and that you could never do so, but please--" he would stop to squeeze your hand in desperation, swallowing every last bit of his pride to let you know that he was, and always is, vulnerable to you and only you, giving you a power over him he wouldn't dare let anyone else have over him "--give me a chance. I want you--need you--to be with me instead. Can you grant me that honor?" He would pour his heart out to you where everyone could see. He would see the hesitation in your eyes, but you would nod your head with a small but audible "Yes, I will". He would then stand up and, without acknowledging the look of devastation on Itachi's-- even paler--face, walk out with you hand-in-hand through the church doors as all the inhabitants of the church stared with dumbfounded expressions.
That was what should have happened, but it didn't. It never got to that point, because when the priest asked if you'd take Itachi as your lawfully married husband, you hesitated. "I...--" you looked around the crowd and then up at Itachi "--I...I don't," you finally breathed out.
The crowd--Sasuke included--stared in shock and gasps filled the room, even the priest himself was surprised at your response. You shook your head and released your hands from Itachi's grip. You began to take off the ring he had placed on your finger less than moments ago and gave it back to him. "This isn't right. I can't do this." Murmurs of confusion stirred up within the church and everyone saw Itachi's face full of hurt and confusion. "I-I don't understand," he started to say to you. "Wha--?" You held your hands up to stop him. "I'm sorry, Itachi. I just can't go through with this." He lifted his hands and dropped them down by his side. "But, why? Why don't you want to marry me?" You sighed. "Because even though I love you, I couldn't live with myself if we went through with this." Before you had the chance to walk away, again, he grabbed your hand. "Itachi--" "Is there...someone else?"
Your eyes widened as you knew who he thought the "someone else" was. You looked into the crowd and spotted him staring at the scene before him with hopeful eyes. You shook your head. "No, there isn't someone else. It's always been you. Since grade school, it was just you. Someone else does love me though, and he's very special to me. I wouldn't want to hurt him any further." You smiled at Sasuke and then at Itachi. "It's been a long eighteen years for him. I don't want his next eighteen to be even longer." Your smile flatlined when you saw the hurt in Itachi's eyes. Your own eyes began to water. "I'm sorry to have put you through this. I'm so sor--" He silenced you with a hug.
The hug didn't stop your sentence because it was unexpected, it didn't stop because his hugs always made you blush no matter what, it was because of how tightly he held onto you. It was like it wasn't even a hug, it was more of a human-sized lock on your body, a silent plea of desperation for you to stay in his life, for you to marry him, have the future with him the two of you saw as children.
"I understand. Do what you must." That's what he had whispered in your ear. It was said shakily yet strong, hesitant yet insistent; it was all a paradox. He'd be fine if you had left him, but he'd be totally reborn if you had done what he wanted you to do, but you didn't, and at that moment, he knew you were more serious and certain of yourself than ever; in order not to hurt Sasuke any further...you had to break Itachi. Slowly, you wrapped your arms underneath his, your hands atop his shoulders as a few tears flooded from between your closed eyelids. "Thank you for everything, Itachi-kun." The use of his childhood honorific threw him, and it made him smile how you never failed to surprise him. He pulled away from you and wiped your face, careful to not smudge your makeup, even though he felt you didn't need it. "I love you." You nodded, trying to smile at least a little. "I know." You noticed that his hand hadn't left your cheek yet and you placed your hand atop his. "I love you, too."
Reluctantly, he let you back away from him slowly, before you completely turned around. Before you walked through the doors, however, you stopped in front of Sasuke. His heart raced faster and faster the longer you lingered within his arm's reach. He jumped a little when you suddenly hugged him. Same as always, he hugged you with such desperation. After a while, you forced yourself out of his arms--as he had refused to let you go when you tried to pull away many times before. Smiling fondly at him, you reached up and placed your hand upon his head, like you used to when he was actually shorter than you. You chuckled a little at the memory, but it soon flat-lined. "I guess this is goodbye, Sassybug."
He tensed at your words. "But--" You pulled his face down to your level and kissed him on the forehead, a blush reaching his cheeks. "No 'but's." You fixed his slightly disheveled attire, readjusting the black jacket on his shoulders. Regardless, it may have been your imagination, but you could've sworn you saw his eyes start to water; it made your heart drop down in your stomach even further. "Will I--" he caught himself "--I mean, will we ever see you again?" You forced a little smile on your face. "You know I'd never lie to you."
Sasuke shut his eyes and turned away from you. He knew you were being subtle, but it still hurt--hurt him worse than when you told him that you could never love him the way he loved you. "Sasuke," you spoke softly as you turned his face back towards you. "I just don't want to promise you something that I'm unable to keep. You understand that, don't you?" He nodded, the tears, much to his dismay, overflowing in his eyelids and leaking down his face in steady streams. "I do, I just don't want to, because maybe if I didn't--" he finally made watery eye-contact with you
"--you would stay here with me..."