Locked Away | DAMON BGT

London Missed You

Dependency.
What a horrible word.

Wherever you want to see it, dependence after all means losing your freedom.

You can depend on many things, but the worst thing, and there is no room for debate, is to depend on one person. A total wear and tear.

Your well-being hangs on a fragile thread that that person can cut with something so mere as a glance.

David's thread was attached to someone who didn't even want to see him, for a few years now.
Could he have had it more fucked up?

He had tried. Of course he tried.
He tried so hard to change things by clinging to an opportunity that he himself had to imagine existed...

Until he disavowed himself, when the tears no longer came out.

He could keep lying to himself, keep wearing that ring and wait for him as many years as necessary. But as he says there, it was a lie and always the lies stop working after a while.

He left that ignorance that only made him live a fantasy and admitted it:
Simon no longer wanted him by his side.

His will to maintain distance couldn't be interpreted in any other way. Every time the blond guard came back, David could already read the 'no' in his pitiful eyes, and then David felt like shit.

So he learned that people sometimes don't forgive,
that acting right is a decision of the brave,
that you never know if you've hit bottom yet,
and that love can be defeated.

David wipes his tears with the sleeve of his sweater.

David takes off his ring slowly...

David gives up on him.
.
.
.

Some time later...

London's cold weather received him on his way out. Nicholas recognized him and grinned big.

"Oh my brother, are you ready to be a good citizen now?"

Simon decides to save his breath and he just rolls his eyes before getting into his brother's fine black car.

"And that box?"
He inquires as he starts the engine.

"It's my belongings. Correspondence, clothes, nothing interesting that they would like to keep".

"I see..."

"How's the company doing?"
Obviously Simon was not going to wait any longer to ask.

"Wonderful! Your guidance helped a lot, and with my extraordinary execution of your orders, everything is going smoothly. Definitely my father wasn't wrong about you: you were born for business!"

He shrugs his shoulders "you're wrong, I already failed, a few years ago"

"But it wasn't your fault. The crisis wiped out everyone, only a few were lucky enough to go on."

"Whatever..."

Nicholas stops watching the road for a few seconds to take a quick peek at him.

Five years, five years was his sentence.
The younger Cowell can notice, in those moments, that those years didn't pass so lightly for Simon.
If before all that happened, Simon still had some youth, now there was no trace.

The black bags under his eyes spoke of adulthood, his beard half neglected, his hair as short as possible:
the fire of youth had left him.

It was almost like seeing someone else.
Nicholas had only been with him for a few minutes, and he already noticed that even the way he speaks and looks at things is different.
Nick couldn't describe it, but he knew it.

"And... what does it feel like to be free again..." Nick felt dumb the moment he finished saying that.

"Good, I guess. London looks very different" Simon didn't take his eyes off the window.

That's how it was.
The crisis had finally passed, the greys had already left the scene. You could see more people smiling and the colours shone brighter.

"London missed you"

Simon smiles weakly.
The driver suddenly exclaims:

"I almost forgot to tell you! I was able to get your house back, remember? The one they had to take away from you because—" he stopped his dialogue when he realized what he was saying were difficult moments that Simon surely did not want to remember "w—well, you understand. I thought you'd like the idea of going back there."

Simon raises his eyebrows, surprised "oh wow, that... that's very nice of you, thank you, you didn't have to"

"All for you, you're my brother"

A few more minutes and Simon identified the gardens that seemed like a lifetime since he had last seen them, and soon the beautiful house could be envisioned.

"What's up, Simon?"
The younger brother giggles at his reaction of total skepticism as he gets out of the car, ending up in front of the big doors of the house.

"Nothing... is, is just incredible. I dreamt about this for so long and... here it is." Simon drops his arms at his sides while shaking his head. It was difficult for him to absorb all that.

"You merit it" Nicholas hugs him tight "I'm so happy you're finally here!"

They pat each other on the back before separating.

"Tomorrow I'll see you at the company, boss" Nick winks one of his eyes when he says the last "right?"

Simon couldn't contain a little sincere smile.
He had a remarkably good brother, that was clear. He was grateful that the way he saw him and treat him wasn't influenced by his prior actions.

Nick knew full well that Simon's commitment to the family business was serious and faithful, and we all deserve a chance, especially the family.

"Sure"

"Excellent! Well, you know I'd love to stay with you longer but I have to do a few things... okay?"

"Come on, don't worry, I'm an adult now. Also, don't forget that I'm older".

"Yes, and dumber too."

Nicholas burst out laughing when Simon kills him with his eyes and leaves after shouting his goodbye.

When the car was out of sight, Simon proceeded to open the door with the key he had given him.

The familiarity of his old home adopted him from the second his feet were inside. Everything persisted exactly the same. Maybe some things were gone, like pictures and ornaments, but the essence of the house hadn't been touched at all.

Simon deduced that his brother asked that the house be cleaned before he arrived, as everything shone spectacularly.

The man walks slow, hugging the box against his chest as he glanced into every corner of the house. He climbed the stairs and took a quiet walk as well.

Later he entered his room.

Simon seemed too serene to be experiencing what appeared to be a dark tornado inside him. He stops in front of the two-person bed and puts the box on the bed.

His eyes traveling around for a few minutes, his mind beginning to travel through a sea of memories.
He begins to drown.

Bloody hell, no, no...

Cowell grinds his face with his shaking hands, and goes out of the house,
because he had the impression that the walls of the house were compacting, making him feel like he's locked up.

And he, at this point, hates feeling locked up.
.
.
.

Some unnecessary detours to the story isn't bad, is it? ;)
Simon is free!
But, what will happen with our Damon?
Will they meet again?
Two chapters to go!