Bassanio didn't wake up until the sun was already halfway across the sky. Nevertheless, he knew that after last night's excitement, he would be the only one awake for some time. He crept out of bed so as not to awaken his angel of a wife and pulled on his dressing gown, never taking his eyes off Portia's sleeping figure. As he looked at her, he felt this fluttering in his chest and groin that he took for love. She had seemed so sad last night (or rather this morning), as they finally consummated their marriage. There was something resigned in her manner. But he couldn't understand why.
He fiddled with the ring on his finger and felt a twinge of guilt; that must be it. The ring had been a test, and he had failed miserably. Her words signaled forgiveness, but her demeanor had said otherwise. And she had not put the ring back on his finger herself, giving it instead to Antonio to give. There was something in that, but he had no idea what. He finally gave up trying to reason out his wife's enigmatic actions, kissed her unobtrusively on the forehead and left their chambers.
The grand house was empty save for the odd servant scurrying about here and there. He regarded these new surroundings with a sense of victory. Everything here was his; he was at the top of the world, and he could pay off all his debts and still have plenty of money left over. He couldn't wait until Antonio woke up so that he could speak to his beloved and generous friend. He could now repay everything he owed him, in money that is. But not in love. He could never repay all the kindness owed to Antonio.
Bassanio made his way to the main entry, which he fully expected to find completely empty. Instead he found Antonio, back to him, tying up his cape. He felt the familiar leap in his stomach at the sight of his dear friend.
"You're awake!" The older man started as Basanio's voice cut through the luxuriant stillness of the afternoon. "I would have thought that you would be asleep! But here you are, awake and dressed and –"
"Packed." Antonio finished.
"You're leaving?
"I must."
"Already? But why?
"I can't stay here and impose myself upon you and your lady wife. You have much to do. You have a lady and an estate to become acquainted with. I would only get in the way. It would only be a few days before you would start wishing me away – "
"I would never –"
" – and I would much rather part on good terms, while you wish me to stay, than on bad, when you have long wished me to leave."
"I could never wish you away! Think not about me and what I might desire. Stay awhile."
"If I do not think of you, then I must think of my own wellbeing. And in doing so, I arrive at the very same conclusion: I must leave you. Farewell." Antonio picked up his suitcase nodded politely and turned to leave.
"Your own well being?" Bassanio said, running to block his friend's path, "Do you mean to insult our hospitality?"
Antonio chuckled and touched the younger man's chin affectionately, "Oh, my dear Bassanio," he drew his hand away quickly, "No, not mine." He whispered, more to himself, than to Bassanio, "But dear nonetheless." He spoke up, "I do not mean to insult your hospitality, merely to acknowledge my own weakness. Goodbye dear friend. I promise to visit again before the year is out."
"The year!?"
"Or… early next year."
"Next –" Bassanio spluttered, "How can you go so long without visiting? The year is barely halfway through! What business could possibly be so important that it must steal you away from me so quickly, and keep you another half a year? No. There is no business in the world that could keep you for so long, not now that your ships are all safe and you are richer than you have ever been before. I will surely starve for want of you if you are gone such a block of time. Therefore, forebear awhile. If only so that I will have your company for even a few days more, so that I (in the knowledge that you must leave soon) may have my fill of you and not famish in the months to come."
Antonio laughed, warmed by his friend's words, "See? This is why I had hoped to leave without saying goodbye; your arguments are far too sound; they make my determination seem completely insane! But you do not know what you say, and I am determined. Therefore goodbye. And I promise to be back for twelfth night, if you'd like."
Bassanio said nothing and scowled, knowing he had lost. Antonio smiled and gave his friend a parting kiss, "Goodbye, sweet Bassanio."
Antonio was already halfway out the door when something else occurred to Bassanio, "Antonio! How will I repay you then if you're leaving so soon? Are you willing to wait half a year for your three thousand ducats? Or do I risk sending the money by boat?"
"Neither!" Antonio called back, "I am now richer than I've ever been and can afford more extravagant gifts to those I love. Therefore, consider those three thousand ducats a wedding gift!" Antonio didn't allow a single word of protest or, in fact, a single word of any kind before disappearing out the door. Bassanio was left standing there like an idiot. Antonio's gift hung in the air. I was extravagant indeed, but there was more to it. And Bassanio couldn't understand what it was. All he knew was the strange hollow feeling in his stomach at the knowledge that he would not see Antonio for another half a year.
As Antonio climbed into the boat he gripped the side to keep from stumbling and falling. It had been difficult to maintain his air of coolness during that interview. He had hoped that his dear friend's happiness would inform his own but as he had watched Bassanio follow his lawful wife into their bedroom, he knew that he could never be happy seeing their marital bliss.
"I know what I must do." He said, his hand unconsciously resting over his heart. The same heart he would have gladly given up for Bassanio's sake, the same heart that, in some ways, he already had. "Goodbye my love, I promise that you'll not see me again."
I don't expect many people to read this as Mechant has an incredibly small fandom. But if you do, please let me know that you're out there. If you liked it, let me know why. If you disliked it, let me know why so that I might improve the coming bits; constructive criticism is always welcome.