The wedding preparations had already started, with the mansion buzzing with excitement. But amidst the chaos, Fourth was drowning-hiding his depression, panic disorder, and self-harming from everyone. No one noticed. No one ever did. He had perfected the art of wearing a mask, of blending in just enough so that his struggles remained invisible.

Gemini, however, was the one person who never made things easier for him.

"You're really just going to sulk your way to the altar?" Gemini scoffed, standing over Fourth, arms crossed. His tone held its usual sharpness, devoid of patience. "At least pretend like you're not being dragged into this."

Fourth forced a smile, one he had rehearsed countless times. "I'm not sulking."

Gemini let out a dry chuckle. "Right. And I actually believe that." He sighed, shaking his head. "You're impossible."

Fourth said nothing, lowering his gaze. He knew Gemini didn't care about his feelings, but the words still stung. No matter what he did, it was never enough. He could be crumbling inside, and Gemini would still treat him like an inconvenience.

Phuwin and Pond, who were finalizing some wedding details nearby, glanced at the two but didn't interfere. To them, this was just how Gemini and Fourth interacted-nothing unusual, nothing worth questioning.

Later that night, Fourth sat alone in his dimly lit room, staring at the neatly folded wedding attire on his dresser. His chest felt tight, the weight of everything suffocating. The expectations, the upcoming vows, the future he had no control over-it all pressed down on him.

A knock at the door startled him.

"Fourth?" It was Prim. "Can I come in?"

He quickly straightened, pulling his sleeves down before answering. "Yeah."

Prim stepped inside, her expression warm but casual. "I figured you might need company."

Fourth hesitated, then nodded. "Thanks."

She didn't push for conversation, simply sitting beside him in silence. To her, this was just a quiet moment between siblings, nothing more.

And that was exactly how Fourth needed it to be.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The wedding preparations continued at full speed, with the mansion filled with the sound of workers moving in and out, discussing decorations and finalizing arrangements. Fourth felt like a spectator in his own life, watching everything unfold around him as if he wasn't the one at the center of it all.

Despite his best efforts to keep up appearances, the exhaustion was creeping in. Every day felt heavier, every breath harder to take. But he smiled, nodded, played his role. And no one noticed.

Gemini, as always, was as blunt as ever.

"You know, if you're just going to mope around, you might as well not show up," Gemini muttered as they stood in the hallway, waiting for Tay and New to finalize something with the wedding planner.

Fourth clenched his fists but kept his voice even. "I'm not moping."

Gemini scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Could've fooled me." He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "You're acting like the world's ending just because you have to marry me. It's pathetic."

Fourth swallowed back the lump in his throat. He wanted to say something, anything, but the words wouldn't come. What was the point? Gemini didn't care. No one did.

Instead, he looked away. "It's not like I have a choice."

Gemini stiffened at that, his expression hardening for a split second before he masked it with indifference. "Neither do I," he muttered. "But you don't see me whining about it."

Before Fourth could respond, Phuwin and Pond entered the hallway, their conversation halting when they noticed the tension between the two.

"You two fighting again?" Pond asked, raising an eyebrow. "What's new?"

Fourth forced a chuckle, shaking his head. "Just a disagreement."

Phuwin gave him a curious look but didn't press. "Come on, we're supposed to go check on the venue setup."

As they walked off, Gemini stayed behind for a moment, watching Fourth with an unreadable expression. But he said nothing more.

Fourth didn't know why that made him feel even worse.

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