I Could, But Wouldn't Stay

XII

LLouis palms were sweaty, and his suit was just a little too tight around his wrists. He was pacing outside the cathedral doors waiting for the ceremony to start. His mom and her girlfriends were in their room gossiping and applying makeup, most a little tipsy from mimosas.

He couldn't stand staying in there any longer, so he slipped out to get some cool fresh air on his overheated skin. Most of the guests had arrived by now, there were big names in every sector of society sitting in the pews of the great cathedral.

He heard the door open and when he turned to see whose joined him, he was pleasantly surprised to find Niall, he sighed, "Is it time?"

"No." Niall joined Louis on the front steps, sitting one step behind his soon to be brother. The bottle blonde looked spiffy in his velvety black tux with a maroon boutonniere. Louis in a complimentary set in his maroon tux. In another life they'd look like eighties prom dates, "They're smoking their cigars and talking business I couldn't stand it."

"Yeah." Louis watched Niall light up a cigarette balancing it between his lips, "The bride wasn't much better. I've had like three marriage offers today!"

"I bet." Niall smiled easily offering Louis the cigarette, "Imagine growing up with these people. If I didn't match off with Liam so early, I'd still be suffering."

"Why do they want to marry in so badly anyways?" Louis asked, reaching absentmindedly to Niall's wrist revealing just the bottom of the crest and rubbing a finger over the completely smooth skin, "I mean I get there's prestige or whatever in the tattoo but I'm not rich. I don't have that much to offer."

"These people have money. It's more than money or prestige." Niall blew out heavily offering Louis the stick, keeping his hand in Louis', "That tattoo will get you a lot."

"Yeah?" He asked his eyes flickering up to Niall who was already watching the smaller omega's face, "Will I get one after my mother marries your father?"

Niall shook his head, licking his lips and taking the cigarette back from Louis, "You only get it through marriage or birth."

"Hmm." Louis hummed thinking about it for just a second, "That's ok. I don't really want tattoos anyways."

Niall chuckled, whispering a little sadly, "You'll get one when Harry and Edward mate you."

Louis shrugged, "We just started really dating and I don't think Edward will ever really love me. I mean I can see a glimpse of something more every so often but I'm not sure. And Harry wouldn't mate me without him."

"Well, he doesn't need to love you the way you love him for you two to get mated." Niall looked confused as to why Edward's emotional constipation would keep them from getting mated.

"I wouldn't want to live a life where my husband didn't love me."

"I'm not saying he wouldn't love you." Niall paused and let the cigarette burn in between his fingers, "I'm just saying everyone has different sized cups."

"Different sized cups?" Louis giggled out, "You do talk some shit don't you Niall."

"Listen here." Niall growled jokingly, "Everyone has different capacities for love. My cup is small. I get angry easy. I lose trust easy. I don't forgive easy. You are so different. Your cup is so much larger than anyone I've ever met it'd be hard for you to find someone who cares as much as you do. As much as you can."

Louis' face fell, "That's a sad existence, isn't it?"

"Your empathy and kindness are a blessing and a curse." Niall fell into a fake Irish accent, like he was speaking an old country fable. Niall handed the cigarette that's all but a butt now back to Louis before cupping his face, "You can handle it though, young lad."