Tokyo Is Our Vegas // Brolby

一

*I in no way know any Japanese, I am using a combination of google translate and my friend who is learning it in school, I apologize now for any mistakes I may make. In case you're wondering, I'm using what I believe to be Japanese symbols for the numbering of the chapters*

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|| O N E ||

"あなたは私とここにいてほしかった"

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The way you wrapped your arms around me, is what I miss the most. Your warmth made the need for a blanket evaporate, no matter how cold it was.

Your even breaths, slowly syncing with mine as I closed my eyes, on the verge of sleeping, it was like heaven.

Now I need a blanket, because your arms no longer keep me warm, because you are no longer next to me.

As I lay down with my eyes closed, I can only hear my breath, as it tries to slow even though my head is running a mile a minute, full of nothing but you.

I keep telling myself to stop, to get over it, I can't have that anymore, that's not my life anymore. That's not our life anymore.

We are no longer protected by Our Vegas.

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Colby tossed and turned in his sleep, his covers bunching up as he constantly switched between kicking them off and pulling them tightly around him. A vicious cycle, really.

His dreams, although he wouldn't remember them when he woke up, brought him back to the trip he had taken a little over a month ago.

Tokyo.

It was the only thing he had really been thinking about lately, it had just been such a great trip.

Yet, whenever he was asked about it, he would be vague with his details and stories that should be interesting. Instead of adding to stories Elton was telling, he nodded along and tried to pretend he was remembering rather than jumping in with his own perspective.

Tokyo was a sacred place.

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Brennen lay awake in bed, eyes glued to his plain white ceiling, sirens in the distance, per the usual of nighttime in LA. He glanced to the window to see the familiar yellow-toned sky of the city, it had turned that way because of all the light pollution.

He sighed, returning his attention to the ceiling as he waited for fatigue to wash over him, even though he had been waiting hours for it to come.

Finally, he succumbed to the tempting option of social media. Immediately opening up Twitter as soon as his phone was unlocked.

Scrolling through his timeline, he let his mind wander since hardly anything ever happened on Twitter at this time.

If he were in Tokyo, this would be when he was catching up on everything that had happened in America the previous day-

Stop it. He scolded himself, now forcing his attention to stay on the app on his phone as he continued to scroll. Stop thinking about that trip, just stop.

Although the trip was absolutely incredible, having the opportunity to see the other side of the world was something unbelievable, he couldn't bring himself to think about it. Because thinking about it brought him so much painful bliss.

Colby.

Thoughts of the trip meant that Colby would tip toe through his thoughts as well. His startling blue eyes, his floppy brown hair, his angelic laugh, it would all taint his thoughts. He didn't want that sort of burden.

With every flash of neon lights and music he couldn't understand, but couldn't help but dance to, came with a flashback of held hands, whispered words, and soft kisses on the cheek.

Don't take it the wrong way, he loved all those things about the trip, but now that it's over, it hurts to think about.

He now sleeps in the middle of his bed at home in an attempt to make it feel less empty, studies the faint cracks in his ceiling to keep his thoughts focused on a single topic, scrolls through social media so that he isn't tempted to send a late night text.

I miss you. Was something he avoided like the plague, to utter those words meant to admit defeat. Like he was too weak to handle the terms they had agreed on, so he refused.

Anything to keep him from saying those words, he did. Whether it was ridiculous pranks, clickbait, or outlandish ideas, he went through with it so he would have something else to worry about.