*~ I'll give you everything ~*

*~ Chapter 1 ~*

*Antonio's POV*

"Antonio, you're looking awfully upset, why is that?" Salerio asks, his eyes meeting my gloomy ones. I didn't know why I was sad, I just was. "Is it because your ships are at sea and you're worried about them? If I had that much money on a ship I'd be worried." Salanio suggests, moving to stand beside Salerio. Salerio and Salanio were basically the gossipers, if they knew something they'd share it around, so of course I wouldn't trust them with why I was sad.

"No, it's not that." I respond, looking away as if I was lost in thought, I wasn't, but it would be nice to look wise. "Perhaps he's in love." Salerio whispers into Salanio's ear, making him let out a small gasp. I knew the teasing was going to come, it would always come when I showed a slight interest in someone. "Oh, who's the lucky girl, Antonio. She must be extremely hard to get if it's making you that upset." Salanio teases, snickering along with Salerio. I scoff, I wasn't interested in anyone, no girl has caught my eye in recent times, it is quite sad, honestly. Everyone I know has either got a girlfriend, or is getting married. "I'm not interested in anyone, I am not in love." I tell them, a hint of annoyance in my voice, but that would soon disappear.

"So you're not upset because of your ships, and you're not in love. Then what could it be?" Salanio speaks, his fingers grabbing his chin as he spoke. He rubbed the stubble on his chin as he thought, Salerio doing the same action. The, Salanio recognises someone approaching us, that being- "Ah look, it's good Lord Bassanio!" he points out, waving towards Bassanio as he approaches us.

All the thoughts and feelings of being sad wash away as my best friend, Bassanio approaches me with that gorgeous smile that would make any woman swoon. The corner of my lips tug up as I see him, his meere presence would be able to put a smile on my face, even in the darkest of moments. Lorenzo and Gratiano were following shortly behind Bassanio, bu they didn't matter, Bassanio did.

"Me and Salanio need to go, work you know." Salerio says, nudging Salanio's side earning a small wince from him. "Well, I bid you two a goodbye." I tell them, watching as they begin to walk off, before shifting my attention to Bassanio. "Gratiano, Lorzen, may you two please give me and Antonio some alone time, we have something important to talk about." Bassanio smiles at me, before turning to talk to Gratiano and Lorenzo. "I suppose we'll leave, good signor Antonio, Bassanio." Gratiano says before walking off with Lorenzo. 

Panic was coursing through me, what did he need to talk about that was so important that Gratiano and Lorzeno needed to leave. This must be bad news, he doesn't want to be friends anymore. My mind was jumping through all the bad things that he could possibly say. My mind and heart were racing, but I kept my external looks composed, as if indifferent from the sudden need for a private conversation. "What do you need, Bassanio?" I inquire, my voice came off a bit shaky as I spoke his name, but it wasn't that noticable, well I hoped it wasn't. 

"I need to borrow some money, to have a chance at marrying this Lady, Portia. She's a beautiful Lady, she lives in Belmont and is richly left, and I love her and would like to try my luck and marry her." Bassanio explains, his hand signs indicating that he was a bit shy asking for more money. "Is this the Lady that you promised not to tell me of until today?" I ask, my insides calming down. "Yes, it is." he confirms. My mind went back to being upset, why was I upset, I should be supportive of Bassanio. "Don't worry, my money, my person, everything I own could be yours if you ask. I'll give you everything I own if you requested." I tell him, my voice filled with honesty. Honestly, me saying that sounded like I was in love with him, I wasn't, he was just my best friend that I cared dearly about and just wanted to make happy. "But sadly, all my money and valuables are on my ships out at sea, so I have no money to lend you."  "Well, then we could ask a money lender to lend me some money under your name." Bassanio suggests, tilting his head as he suggests this. "Not a bad idea, how much do you need?" I ask him, it couldn't be that much, maybe 1,000 ducats at most, but that could be pushing it.

"3,000." Bassanio says calmly, as if it isn't a lot of money to even think about. My mouth goes agape, my eyes widening. "That's a lot, and including interests it'll be a lot." I say, now sounding a bit reluctant. But it was Bassanio, I couldn't deny him even if I wanted too. "But I suppose, we shall find a money lender in the morning." I sigh, thinking if I would regret doing this. I felt I would, but I'd do anything to help Bassanio.

"Perfect, you're the best!" Bassanio says enthusiasticly. I felt Bassanio's hand pat me on the back, the sudden contact startling me slightly. "You're a good man, Antionio, a good man." He says, his hand lingering on my back, then slipping down to my lower back, then off my bakc entirely. The brief moment of contact, of him touching me, feeling me, sent shivers down my spine. Did I feel disappointment as his hand withdrew from my back? No, I must be acting silly.

"Bassanio, you're my entire world, I'd do anything for you, but I feel this might turn out to be a mistake. Don't go and marry Lady Portia, stay with me in Venice, we can stay single together, we can make a life for ourselves together here."  I speak to Bassanio in my head, wondering if his thoughts were similar to mine.

A/N:

I changed scene 1 up a bit since I wanted it would be easier to write from memory then basically copy the entire scene directly from the play. I basically made it shorter without the unnecessary monologues from the unimportant characters.

Word count: 1061