"Tristan?" Connor called out into the dark apartment. There was no answer so the young male stepped through the door, sliding the key back into his pocket. "Tristan? Brad? Is anybody home?" He called out once more, hoping for an answer. When he took another step, he heard the cracking of glass beneath his boots and the brunette immediately looked down.
Connor picked up a bigger glass shred and examined the remains of a logo on it before smelling the rest liquid on it. "Beer..." He mumbled to himself before throwing the glass shred onto the floor and walking further into the apartment. As he entered the living room, the TV was still running and a few empty beer bottles laid on the coffee table. A picture frame was smashed on the floor. Connor walked over to the shreds of broken glass and wood on the ground and picked up the frame. There was a picture of Tristan and Brad inside, both having an arm wrapped around the other.
There was a small text on the bottom of the picture. Happy Birthday, Bear
Connor sighed before placing the broken frame on the shelf next to himself. He walked through a small corridor and finally arrived at his destination. Opening the door, he couldn't find anything suspicious expect for a few empty beer bottles.
Upon further investigation, the Scottish boy soon found his band mate fast asleep on his bed. Connor let out a huge breath at the sight of the blonde male and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Tris." Connor whispered and the blonde stirred slightly. "Tris, wake up." The younger boy said sternly and the blonde turned around with a groan. "TRISTAN!" Connor yelled and the older male shot up with wide eyes and tossed hair. "Jesus christ, you scared me to death." Tristan heaved out while placing a hand on his heart.
"Just like you did to me." Connor said and the blonde titled his head to the side in confusion. "Huh?" He squeaked out and the brunette got up.
"You didn't answer my calls or texts for three days and then I go talk to Brad about it and he says he hasn't been here in a week?? What the hell is going on?" He asked frantically and Tristan let his head drop. "Brad has a girlfriend." He mumbled and Connor's eyes widened. "Holy shit." He breathed out before letting himself fall onto the bed. The male knew about the huge crush his friend had on his room mate. "I'm so sorry man."
Connor said softly and Tristan shrugged with a sad smile.
"We all knew he wouldn't have been with me in the first place." The blonde said and his younger friend frowned.
"You didn't starve yourself again did you?" He asked and Tristan hesitated for a moment before shaking his head but Connor saw the truth. The sad truth but before he could say anything else he heard the door to the apartment being unlocked and steps entering the living room. "Brad is home." Tristan whispered with wide eyes before getting up and sprinting into the bathroom. "I'm showering if he asks!" He called out before dissappearing into the bathroom.
Connor got up and left Tristans bedroom. Brad was standing in the living room, examining the mess around him. His head lifted up as he heard the steps in the hallway and his eyebrows furrowed as soon as he was met with Connor's ice cold blue eyes.
"Con? What are you doing here?" The brunette asked and the younger male stepped into the room with narrowed eyes. "Where were you?" He asked sternly and Brad shrugged. "Out."
He said and Connor scoffed. "Out? For a week?" He asked and the brunette in front of him narrowed his eyes at him. "Why do you care?"
"The question is, why do you not?" Connor stated and Brad furrowed his eyebrows. "Tristan has been starving himself again. I thought you were looking after him!" Connor said angrily and saw a hint of shock and guilt go through Bradleys eyes but it was gone as soon as it came. He turned around and grabbed his charger from next to the couch.
"That's not my problem." He mumbled and Connor clenched his fists. "If it's not your problem then you shouldn't come back here."
The younger male hissed and Brad looked up at him. "You can't throw me out of my own fucking apartment."
The older said back and Connor stepped forward so he was standing directly in front of his band mate.
"You've been nothing but a huge asshole and an even worse friend to Tristan and you do nothing but hurt him with every second you spend at this god forsaken place you're always at. He's starving himself and it's your damn fault. If you ever come crawling back then you'll have me to deal with, now do us all a favor and leave."
Connor said in a low, angry voice.
Brad bit his lip before grabbing his back and walking towards the door.
He stopped before pressing down the door handle though as Connor stopped him. "I heard you got a girlfriend. Do you treat her as shitty as your friends?" The younger asked and Brad clenched his fists at his side before ripping the door open and exiting the apartment. Connor let out a huge breath and leaned his head back. "Don't you think you were a bit harsh?" A voice cut through the silence that Connor had enjoyed fully and he turned around to see Tristan standing in the hallway. The brunette shook his head. "Someone had to put some sense into him." He mumbled before turning around with a sigh.
The behavior of Brad didn't change one bit, if anything it got worse. He turned up at the apartment once to get his stuff and completely ignored Tristan's existence while he was there. Meanwhile, Tristan fell into old habits. Without his best friend, or more like the love of his life by his side he couldn't keep himself together. Connor and James tried their best to help him and be there for him but Tristan didn't want their help, he wanted Brad. Starvation and alcohol were only a two of his many problems. Depression was taking a huge toll on the blonde and there was nothing James or Connor could do.
"I just don't know what to do anymore. He's getting worse every day and I have no idea how to help him." Connor said with a sad sigh at the end and James placed a hand on his shoulder. They were in the hallway of Tristans apartment complex, planning on checking up on their mutual friend. "I don't know how to help him either, we just have to try." James tried to cheer his friend up and the younger male nodded before taking out a spare key he got from Tristan and unlocking the door.
"Tris?" He called out and silence was his only answer. James and Connor glanced at each other before walking entering the room together. "Tristan are you home?" James yelled but there was once again only silence.
The two began to worry and Connor walked into the living room only to find Tristan laying on the ground.
"Holy shit, Tris!" He called out and fell to his knees next to the body on the floor. "Huh?" Tristan mumbled and gripped his head before slowly sitting up. "Ugh, I'm fine, I'm fine," He mumbled. "Just a little dizzy spell."
"In your condition there's no such thing as a little dizzy spell." Connor said angrily and placed a hand on Tristans forehead. "You're really hot."
The younger male said with a worried expression on his face. "Thanks." Tristan said with a weak smirk on his face. "Can you stand?" Connor asked, completely ignoring the blondes comment. "Y-yes, of course." Tristan said and got up shakily with Connors help. His knees wobbled and the blonde held onto his younger band mate for dear life as his he blinked slowly. "Tris...?" Connor asked and the male turned towards his companion with a hooded expression. "I think it's time to call an ambulance."
Before Connor could even react to his friends words Tristan collapsed to the ground. A gasp escaped the Scottish males lips before screaming for James who came running mere seconds.
"Oh fuck." He said before sinking to his knees and checking Tristans pulse.
"It's really weak, call 999." James instructed and Connor grabbed his phone quickly before dialing the number. Afterwards, everything went by in a blur. Paramedics stormed into the apartment and one of them yelled different things Connor couldn't understand. Tristan was placed onto a stretcher and carried out. The youngest band member remembered hearing the paramedic tell them only family members could ride in the ambulance and James pulling him towards his car. How could this happen? Connor thought to himself on the way to the hospital. But there was one more thing on his mind that made him tremble in rage. Without thinking, he pulled out his phone and dialed an all too familiar number. It rang and the boy clenched his hands into fists. "Hello?" Connor almost broke his fingers as he heard a female voice. "Give Brad the fucking phone right now." He spat and heard shuffling before Brad's voice rang through the phone. "Who's this?"
"I could ask you the fucking same."
Connor hissed into the device and earned a sigh from his older band mate. "Connor, what is it this time?"
The Scottish boys blood boiled as he gritted his teeth. "Me and James are on our way to the hospital because you were too busy with your girl to notice your apparent best friend basically killing himself right in front of you." Connor hissed into the phone. As nothing but silence followed, he continued. "How could you let this happen," He said lowly. "This is all your fault, all of it. If anything happens to Tristan, I will personally beat you up so bad you'll be in a worse condition than him." With those words he hung up and let out a huge breath. James looked over at him with sympathy in his eyes.
"What? No comment on me being too harsh on him?" Connor asked sarcastically but James just looked back at the road. "Maybe he doesn't deserve any better." The older male said solemnly and the brunette sighed. His phone kept buzzing and when he checked it, there were only messages from Brad.
A sigh escaped his lips but he couldn't get himself to answer. Suddenly the car came to a stop and he looked up, seeing the huge building in front of him. "Are you ready? Whatever happens in there might change your life." James said softly and Connor looked down before nodding. "He needs us." And with that statement, the two exited the car and ran into the infirmary. The blonde walked over to the desk while Connor looked around.
"Connor!" He heard his name being called and turned around. Joe came towards him and the young male bit his lip. "Joe." He choked out and soon found himself being hugged by his manager. "What happened? James texted me saying you were here."
The brunette said and the younger one shrugged. "Tristan is... He's bad"
Joe nodded. "Where's Brad?"
Connor immediately clenched his fists at the sound of his band mates name.
"Far far away hopefully." He hissed.
Joe was about to say something when James interrupted the two.
"Tristan is being stabilized, he's in room 127. The doctors there can hopefully tell us more." The blonde explained and Connor and Joe both nodded before walking towards the elevators. The three soon arrived at the door with the 127 on it. A doctor came out of it in the same moment, checking a clipboard in his hand.
"Um, excuse me?" Connor called out and the middle aged man turned towards him. "Our friend Tristan is in that room, can you tell us something about his condition?" He asked and the doctor looked down at his clipboard again. "Well, Mr. Evans is seriously underweight. The symptoms all point to a further state of anorexia.
He also has an unhealthy amount of different medications in his system.
He's stable for now but he isn't out of the life threatening danger zone. Please wait here and I will soon grant you permission to visit him." He explained and Joe let out a breath before thanking the middle aged man and turning towards Connor.
"It could be worse." He said and the younger male nodded sadly.
"Yeah I guess..." The three waited for about half an hour. James was sleeping with his head against the wall behind him while Joe was texting someone. Connor just sat there looking down at the ground in boredom. He heard footsteps approaching their seats and he lifted his head. His eyes met brown ones and the brunette immediately got up.
Brad was standing a few feet away from him. "You son of a bitch." Connor hissed but Brad didn't react.
"Is Tristan okay?" He asked and the younger male scoffed. "Why would you care? You're the one who put him in this condition." He said bitterly and Brad clenched the sleeves of his sweater in the palms of his hands.
"Please don't say that, t-that's not true." The brunette called out with a pained expression on his face. He tried to seem strong but his hands were shaking. A girl with long brown wavy hair suddenly stepped up behind Brad and Connor froze for a second after spotting the girl.
"Ah so you're here with your little girlfriend huh?" He asked with a bitter chuckle. "Keep her out of this, she didn't do anything wrong." Brad tried to defend her as Connor came closer to him. "No she didn't, but you did. You killed your best friend." He hissed and Brad took a step back.
"K-killed? W-what-" He choked out, tears already welling up in his eyes.
"He's not dead. Not yet at least." Connor said and narrowed his eyes at his band mate. "In what room is he?"
Brad asked and the younger male scoffed. "As if I'd let you visit him."
Brad immediately stepped forward.
"P-please." He whispered but Connor just scoffed again. This time, the older brunette didn't waste a second. He fell to his knees and looked up at Connor.
"L-let me see him, please. Only for a few minutes, I'll be quick." He choked out, desperately. "Get up." Connor said and the brunette did so hesitantly.
"You did this to him," The younger male hissed and Brad flinched.
"You don't deserve to come in here now and apologize while he's weak.
You're only here to take advantage of his state." Bradley immediately started to shake his head as tears clouded his eyes. "N-no, I just want to see him. I want to see if he's o-okay."
Connor scoffed. "It's a bit late for that don't you think?" Brad bit his lip and looked down at the floor. The Scottish male gripped his band mates arm and pulled him behind himself while walking towards the other end of the hallway. "C-Connor." Brad choked out but his friend didn't answer him.
The two came to a stop in front of two huge men in black clothing.
"This guy is trying to persuade us into letting him visit our friend after hurting him himself. Could you please throw him out?" Connor asked sternly with a blank expression on his face.
Brad didn't fight him, he just stared down at the ground with tears rolling down his face. The two security guards gripped Brad by his arms and guided him towards the elevator. Brad turned his head towards Connor one more time. "P-please make sure he's okay." He said desperately before being pulled into the elevator.
Connor closed his eyes for a second before turning around to walk back to the others. But as soon as he turned around, someone was blocking his way. It was the girl that was standing behind Bradley. "What do you want."
Connor growled but she didn't recoil.
"I know you probably despise me with your whole being but please don't treat Brad like that. When he found out about Tristans hospitalization he had a full on panic attack. He searched up all hospitals nearby Tristans home and we drove to every single one, asking if he was there. He hasn't stopped crying ever since you called and the doctors wouldn't let him get through at first because he was shaking so much.
Brad loves Tristan. I know he made a huge mistake but please don't treat him like that. Just let us know how he is okay?" Connor looked at the girl before letting out a sigh. It wouldn't change anything. "I'll think about it."
He said bluntly and walked pass her.
About twenty minutes later, the doctor came and granted them access to Tristan's room. Nobody had talked about the Brad incident and Connor was glad. Joe, Connor and James entered Tristans room. It was dark and Tristan was laying on a bed in the back. There was a tube down his throat and he was attached to many different machines. The sound of the heart monitor was kind of calming.
The three walked up next to the bed and Connor sat down on the chair next to it. They didn't say anything, not to Tristan nor to each other. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, everybody was grieving for themselves. James excused himself and left the room after about half an hour and Joe left to make some calls.
Connor grabbed Tristans hand and let out a shaky breath. "If you die, I will never ever forgive you. You better survive this y-you asshole."
He mumbled. There was a knock on the door and he turned his head towards it. James was standing in the doorway. "Hey man, is it okay if I bring in a visitor?" The blonde asked and Connor just nodded with sigh, knowing exactly who was coming in.
James led Brad into the room. He was stumbling a bit, his breathing staggered. When he spotted Tristan, his eyes immediately filled with tears and he slowly edged closer. "T-Trissy." He choked out and James bit his lip. Brad tumbled over to the bed and stood still directly next to it. He lifted one of his shaking hands and stroked Tristans cheek gently as if he would break just from that simple touch.
"I'm s-so sorry for what I did to you. This is all m-my fault." Brad whispered shakily and bit his lip tightly. Connor noticed bloody bandages on the boys knuckles and swallowed thickly.
Gracey entered the room and walked over to Brad. "Here, sit down. The doctor will be here soon." She said and pulled a chair up next to the bed.
Brad sat down without taking his eyes off Tristan. His hands were trembling as he clenched his fists harshly.
"Hey, stop that." Gracey whispered and forced Brad to unclench his fists.
His nails had already drawn blood in the palms of his hands. The brunette female sighed and took a tissue, wiping the blood away gently.
Connor watched the whole thing with
slight guilt creeping up his back.
James placed a hand on his shoulder and motioned for him to follow him outside. Connor got up and threw one last glance and Brad before exiting the room followed by his friend.
"I hope you understand why I brought him here." James said and the younger male nodded. "Yeah but do you know what's wrong with him?"
He asked the older male who let out a humorless chuckle. "Imagine being the reason for your best friend to almost kill himself. I understand where he's coming from." James declared and Connor bit his lip.
He knew James was right.
"What happened to his hand?" He asked afterwards while staring at Bradley through the glass window.
The boy just sitting there, staring at Tristan while tears streamed down his face. "When the security brought him downstairs he refused to leave so they allowed him and Gracey to sit down in the waiting room. He left for the bathroom and didn't come back for almost fifteen minutes so Gracey went to look for him and found him on the floor of the bathroom having a full blown panic attack. He had punched the mirror with his fist that's why it's in bandages." James told the sad story and Connor let out a shaky breath before opening the door to Tristans room and walking over to Brad in a quick pace. The boy saw Connor coming towards him and looked away quickly, prepared to be hit or yelled at but the opposite happened. The Scottish boy wrapped his arms around Bradley's small frame and held him tightly against his chest.
"It's not your fault." He whispered softly while stroking his friends brown curls who broke down in tears in his friends arms. "I-I'm so sorry..."
Brad choked out between throaty sobs and Connor shushed him. James and Gracey watched the reunion with smiles on their faces. The two held each other for a bit longer before pulling away. "Tris will forgive you as well, as soon as he wakes up." Connor said sotly and Brad rubbed at his eyes to get rid of the tears. "I hope so."
"Come on, stop beating yourself up about it. It doesn't help anybody okay?" James said and placed a hand on his younger band mates shoulder who nodded with a sniffle. The three shared a small group hug when they're were suddenly disturbed by a hoarse voice. "Just group hugging without me? Rude." The three immediately whipped around at the sound of the voice and Connor let out a gasp. Tristans eyes were opened up slightly and he was looking at three.
"Missed me?" He asked cheekily but before anybody could say something or answer, Brad bolted out of the room. The curly haired boy slammed the door behind himself and left a thick tension in the room. "Um, I'm gonna check on him." Gracey called out softly, who had been completely forgotten by the boys. "No, I'll go."
Connor said and quickly left the room. Brad was sitting on the ground, his knees to his chest and his face burried into his legs. The younger brunette let out a sigh and kneeled down in front of him, listening to the small sobs that escaped Bradleys lips.
"Brad..." Connor said softly and the boy pulled his legs closer to himself.
"I-I did this to him. He's here because of m-me." The brunette choked out, his whole body trembling. "He doesn't blame you, I promise. He's probably not even-" The Scottish boy was cut off by Brad lifting his head abruptly.
"That doesn't matter! Maybe he's not mad but that doesn't change the fact that I almost killed him!" He yelled and Connor slowly started to get angry himself from all the guilt the brunette was putting himself through.
"That's not true Brad, and it doesn't matter as long as he doesn't blame you." The younger male said, raising his voice slightly. "Yes it does because I only thought about myself when I left him!" Brad yelled and Connor who shook his head. "Then why did you leave him?!" He yelled back and Brad jumped up. "Because I'm in love with him!" Silence fell over the two like a thick blanket. Connor scrunched his face up. "What?" He asked and Brad clenched his fists and his sides. "I'm in love with him. It hurt so much to see him everyday, knowing he wasn't mine and he never would be. I thought... I thought if I just left, I would never go through that pain again. That's what I meant by selfish." The brunette explained and hid his face in his hands. Connor blinked repeatedly. Brad was in love with Tristan? This whole thing only started because Tristan was in love with Brad. The Scottish boy let out a sigh before grabbing Bradleys arm.
"Get up." He said sternly and the brunette looked up at him. "W-what?"
He asked and Connor pulled his arm. "Get up." He said before pulling the older boy up to his feet. "You're gonna go in there and talk to him. Right fucking now." The younger boy hissed and opened the door, pushing his older band mate inside who was desperately trying to get away from the male. "You, out. These two have to talk." Connor said towards James who left the room without a word. The younger male closed the door and let himself fall into one of the chairs before letting out a groan. James let out a chuckle and sat down next to his friend. The two waited for about half an hour and Connor almost fell asleep. The blonde stretched and got up, walking towards the door of the Tristans room before looking through the window. "Do you think these two idiots are finally going to realize that they're both in love with each other?" Connor asked his best friend who let a small grin take over his face. "Yeah, I think so." James said and the younger male furrowed his eyebrows. He got up and stood next to James, peering through the window and what he saw made him smile. Bradley was leaning over Tristan, their lips pressed together both with a content smile on their faces. A tear was rolling down the brunettes face but Tristan wiped it away and the two kissed again.
__________________
Jesus, that was long.
4320 words, that's the longest One Shot I've ever written. This isn't that good I know. I'll maybe rewrite it one day. :)
Don't forget to comment and vote <3
- Tris xx