A BW one-shot about mistakes, anxiety, self-depreciation, and redemption.
Bright and Win used to play together in a pop-rock band until wrong choices led their relationship to end on a sour note. Would they have another shot at happiness?
This fiction will have many sensitive issues in it so please proceed with caution. If you haven't read the tags yet, this will contain cheating, anxiety issues, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, gaslighting, and implied suicide. I will put trigger warnings in very sensitive parts so you will be warned about what you are going to read. I tried to be very subtle in the description but I am not sure if that would be enough precautionary measures.
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Bright woke up with a start. He immediately felt for the other person beside him but his roving hand only encountered the cold, rumpled sheets. Bright got up fast, ignoring the sheets tangling around his nakedness, and shot out of bed. He immediately searched the condo for that person who should have been still sleeping next to him. He knew that Win had a rough day after that major quarrel with Joss over staying with Nuclear Fall-out, their pop-rock band. He should still be resting but now he is gone, after everything that has happened between him and Bright last night.
A couple of minutes of futile searching proved Bright's greatest fear; Win is gone. But where did he go? Would Win dare come back to Joss after sleeping with him? Bright thought in frustration. He entered the bathroom and saw that the tiles were still wet. Win must have taken a thorough bath before leaving to remove all the traces of what happened between them last night. Bright berated himself inwardly for being a heavy sleeper. He shouldn't have let Win go. But he could not hold Win against his will. He loved the man too much to get in the way of his happiness. And if going back to Joss would make Win happy, then why should Bright get in the way? Bright opened the shower and drowned his tears under the steady stream of tepid water.
What happened between them was just a mistake. He was Win's mistake and Win remains to be his weakness.
Win got out of the cab nervously. He smoothed his still-damp hair back from his forehead and remained standing on the pavement, debating on whether to ring the bell or use his key. He glanced at his wristwatch. Joss must have gone to work by now. Win thought before fishing for his key in his sling bag. He was about to insert the key into the key slot when the door suddenly opened to reveal Joss, eyes puffy from lack of sleep, wearing just a terry bathrobe tied around the waist. He looked both surprised and relieved as he quickly pulled Win inside the house before pulling the latter close into a crushing hug.
"I was so worried about you! I have been calling you since I got home from my shift last night." Joss whispered hoarsely into his ears but Win still felt numb. He is still hurt at Joss's harsh words during the band's practice. He was also angry at the fact that Joss humiliated him in front of their bandmates just because Win does not want to leave the band just to appease Joss's fragile ego.
"Battery got drained. I forgot to charge my phone." Win mumbled against Joss's shoulder and Win instinctively braced himself for the scolding that was sure to follow. When Joss did not say anything, Win's chest thumped hard in fear. Did Joss know? Can he tell? Win took great pains in scrubbing himself clean before leaving Bright's condo. He was thankful that Bright was sensible enough to use a condom or things would have been a lot harder to clean. Win was pulled back from his reverie when Joss gently rubbed circles on his back.
