It hadn't been easy, it was never easy. No matter how much you try to ignore the pain, it will always come back. You have to embrace it before it destroys you. You'll never be prepared to let someone go, but you have to. No matter how much it hurts.
As soon as Brad got to the pub, Dean said he could get on the stage and play for the small audience. He sat on the stool and took his guitar out of the case before glace at the empty table at the corner. A lump formed in his throat. Those blue eyes he adored so much weren't there to watch him sing and it felt like something really important was missing. It actually was.
"This song is for someone very special for me." The curly haired boy said after clearing his throat. "It's called Despair In The Departure Lounge by Arctic Monkeys."
With a deep breath he started playing the first chords and then started singing.
Don't even try and cheer him up, because it just won't happen.
They met at a friend's wedding dinner.
As Tristan went there alone and Bradley's sister sat in a different table since she's the bridesmaid. They were placed next to each other at a round table with three more people. These people weren't as talkative as they would like. Boredom took over quickly till Bradley started humming a not so popular tune. Tristan surprisingly knew that song. Then they found out they could have a nice conversation about music while everyone else was at the dance floor.
The chat moved to other topics besides music, of course. They were really getting along when Bradley had to leave the party to drive his laughing sister home. The brown haired boy left after a handshake and a 'maybe we meet again'.
Half way home he realized they hadn't exchanged phone numbers or any other information except their first names. Barely knew him that the destiny was just as good as Tristan's memory. The blond guy remembered that Brad had mentioned he would gig at a pub in a few days. It wasn't that hard to find out where it was.
The younger was surprised when he entered the pub and sat in a table for two at the corner during the second song. Barely had he known that the taller guy would come and sit there for all his next gigs. They sat there, shared some beers and had a chat just as good as the one at the wedding. Brad almost forgot about his friends who sat some tables away from them.
Tristan came back the next weekend and the other one too. Soon they were chatting over the phone and the blond would take the curly haired boy to friend's parties. They became best friends without even noticing how close they were getting till the day Bradley was very upset and the only person he could think of calling was Tris.
Although it might take your mind off the aches and the pains, laugh when he falls through the bar.
Things started getting serious when Bradley decided he wanted to move out of his parent's house and Tristan kindly offered his apartment during a conversation about the topic. The apartment was localized close to downtown and having someone to share the bills came in handy, even if he hadn't a guest room anymore.
It didn't take a week for Brad to be enchanted with the blonde's talents. He was an incredible cook with a hand full of recipes he had never heard of and were delicious. The singer was quite shy to cook for the older, but still he did it sometimes when he felt like it.
Sometimes they used to order in, sit on the couch and watch a football match while having dinner. Tristan used to love these moments when they just enjoyed each other's company. They used to fall asleep on the couch and Brad usually woke up with his head resting on Tris' lap with the blonde's arm around his shoulders.
He didn't realize he fancied the boy till the day he shouted it to him. It was shocking and quite scary at the moment, but that day was something to laugh about a couple of months after.
Bradley woke up with the sunlight shining over his face instead of the alarm on the nightstand. It was just five minutes earlier, but for a Tuesday morning it was quite a remarkable event. He decided to cook breakfast instead of grabbing a cup of coffee on his way to the university as he usually did.
It was a sunny day, the weather was nice and he received a text from Dean saying he could gig at the pub next weekend. Brad was an optimist that day, but all his happiness went away when he had lunch with a friend. This friend told him some stuff the taller had said about him that got him really upset.
The rest of the day was a blur. When the brown eyed boy realized, it was already twilight and he was sit on the couch waiting for Tristan to show up. Then the door opened and he just let out all the rage he was holding back all day.
Tris couldn't understand why he freaked out so much because of what he said and the smaller boy shouted "'Cause I like you, you idiot!" The blond seems as surprised as Brad was shocked. He stormed out of the apartment, leaving Bradley alone once again.
The older wandered through the streets of his neighbourhood till he found an open shop and bough a beer. He wanted to hit himself over and over for being so stupid. He liked Bradley for quite a long time now, but he was too blind to notice the boy fancied him, too. It was late at night when he finally got back to the apartment, but Brad was still up to listen his roommate's door shut closed.
The other day he wasn't there when the curly haired boy woke up. It was unusual, after all his job was in the afternoon. He had no news from the guy till evening, when he got home and was welcomed by the delicious smell of Tristan's cooking. He talked with Brad like nothing had happened and they had a wonderful dinner.
The younger washed the dishes while they laughed about silly things. Then everything went silent by the time he finished. He turned around to glance at Tristan who walked towards him and without a warning pulled him into his long arms for a kiss. Bradley never has been capable to describe how good it felt.
After this happy event, it didn't take so long for them to start telling friends they were dating.
It seems as we become the winners.
The thought of telling their parents was a bit scary, but once they did it, there was nothing to be afraid of at all. Tristan had to do it via phone which he couldn't decide if was better or worse than saying it face to face. He did it anyways and everything turned out just fine.
But 'fine' isn't 'happily ever after'. There's always something to spoil happiness, no matter what.
It was one of those nights in which they just stayed in and cuddled on the couch. They had ordered pizza and were watching a comedy movie when their laughs were interrupted by the sound of Tris' phone ringing. He reached for it on the coffee table and froze when he saw the name glowing in the screen.
His father never called him. It was always his mom who called for any matter. This can't be good, he thought.
The blond got on his feet and headed to the kitchen before answering it. Brad's eyes followed him till he disappeared behind the wall before stopping the movie. He was just as confused as his boyfriend who always turned down the calls when they were doing something together. He thought of asking the reason of the sudden act, but once he saw the concerned and sad boy enter the room he changed his mind.
Tristan plopped down on the couch next to Brad who hugged him before he could say anything. After a while in silence, the blond explained there was a family problem going on and he had to travel back south as soon as possible. The younger boy grabbed his laptop and they booked Tris a flight for the next weekend which was in two days.
Even though it hurt him see his boyfriend deal with a family problem without being there to support him, Bradley let him go when the day came. It was almost time to go when Tristan pulled Bradley into his arms once again at the departure lounge.
He left after a soft kiss and a promise of coming back safely to his boyfriend.
Brad stood there watching him walk away. He hadn't a good feeling about that, but still he watched the airplane take off through the huge glass windows. With a deep breath he turned away and went back to the now empty apartment.
The bad news came as he tried to finish an essay for college four hours later. The tears started falling even before the call was finished.
The promise had been broken. Tristan wouldn't come back to him ever again.
And the thought comes closely followed by the fear.
"What's happened to me?" Bradley said the final verse and swallowed. There was a quick wave of applauses while he sat there staring at the empty table at the corner. "Thanks" he said with a cracking voice before leaving his guitar on the stool he was sit and turning away from the audience.
He wiped a tear as he made his way through the bar to get to the toilet. Brad locked the door behind him and grabbed the ceramic sink with both hands. The brunette felt dizzy and like he could throw up at any moment now. Instead the tears came and the boy allowed himself to break down after three days without crying.
Brad sat on the toilet floor without even bothering try to wipe the tears away. The pain wouldn't stop. There was no Tristan to hold him tightly and wipe his tears in silence.
The blonde guy wouldn't be there to share a beer with him and laugh about anything when he got home. What a beautiful laugh he had. The most beautiful sound the younger thought he would ever listen. The way he spontaneously smiled, his light-hearted ways, how everyone's problems were more important than his. For those things and more Bradley loved him with all his heart.
But now his heart felt void and it would never be filled again. He would never hold Tristan into his arms again. There was no Tristan anymore and Bradley didn't want to let him go, but he had to.