Chapter Text
Somewhere in New York. That’s all Brando knew.
No address, no phone, no message or even a hint of where Wilson was. The only thing he knew was that Wilson was one of the millions of people living in New York.
It’s infuriating to know that he’s in the same city.
In the three weeks he has been living here with his family, he couldn’t stop looking around him, hoping to find Wilson.
The first week, he had been full of hope, thinking that through some magical force they would find each other in no time.
He had even followed someone for three blocks, thinking it was Wilson. Same height, same hair, and even the same walk. But when he finally tapped their shoulder and they turned around, it wasn’t Wilson. He had apologized before abruptly walking away, leaving the stranger behind confused.
He had also been busy unpacking the new apartment and exploring the city. New York was exciting, but also so big.That's when the doubt started settling in.
The second week, Brando’s family had dragged him to all the typical tourist attractions. All the things Brando had always wanted to see. But it never felt complete.
He should have explored the city with Wilson. He should have been on the ferry with Wilson, watching his curls getting absolutely destroyed by the wind.
Brando had even insisted they would be the perfect cheesy tourist couple, with a classic “I love NY” shirt photo with the Statue of Liberty behind them.
Now he had that photo, but not with Wilson, but with his family.
Now it was the third week, with no trace of Wilson. His heart still skipped a beat every time he saw black curls in the big crowds, but it was never Wilson.
He sat on the couch by the big window, looking outside. It had developed into a new habit, consuming all of his time. His mom had been worried. Now, spotting him at the window again, she walked over.
“Brando.”
He looked up quickly before returning to watching the people outside.
“Yes mom?”
She sat down carefully, sighing. Brando didn’t even look up this time, scared to miss the already small chance he had at finding Wilson.
“Brando, don’t you think it’s time to… let go? At least a little? I’m worried about you.”
He snapped his head towards her.
“Let go?”
“At least a little. You’ve been sitting here every day, and-”
He scoffed.
“You don’t understand. I love Wilson. I promised him a future. I was supposed to take that stupid picture at all the tourist stops with him, not with you and dad.”
"Just today. Come with us. That's all I'm asking."
"I am."
“Brando…”
"I'm trying."
“Brando, I hear you, and I understand you, but-“
“No, no you don’t.” He stands up from the couch. “If you would truly understand me, there would be no ‘but’.”
She looks up at him, desperate.
“Brando, please. Your father also thinks that you should let go, he thinks it’s starting to-“
Brando can feel himself getting angry now.
“Oh I’m sure he wants me to let go and move on! He never wanted me with Wilson!”
His mom sighs, like this is just a simple miscommunication.
“Brando, that’s not fair.”
“Nothing is fair! It’s all so- ugh!“
He cuts himself off, not wanting to argue more.
“I’m gonna take a walk.”
His mother nods, also not wanting to argue.
Without another word, he takes his jacket and slips his shoes on before walking outside.
…
Once outside, he automatically walks to his favorite place in New York. When he isn’t sitting by the window, or exploring the city with his family, he likes to come here.
From afar, he can already see the big screens lighting up Times Square. He likes wandering around there, since it’s distracting enough to stop his overthinking.
Brando walks around for a bit before sitting down on a bench. He watches the crowd, but still no sign of Wilson.
His phone buzzes.
His screen lights up with Anna’s name, calling him.
It’s like she can sense whenever he’s feeling down.
When he picks up, he can hear her shushing someone.
Probably Nick.
They’re spending almost every day together. Every video call or picture has them both in it. He’ll never say it out loud, but it makes Brando so jealous. Not that he doesn’t think that they don’t deserve it, but he can’t understand why he and Wilson don't. Why can’t they be together without complicated parents? Or why can’t he and Wilson be together at all?
His spiraling is interrupted by Anna.
“Hey Brando,” she says, way too happily for his liking.
“Hey.”
When she hears his low energy, she softens her voice.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like shit.”
“Brando…”
“It’s just- I miss him, Anna.”
“Brando, listen to me, okay?”
He nods before realizing she won’t see it.
“Mhm.”
“Okay, good. Brando, you will find him. I truly believe you will. It will be hard, yes. But I won’t believe that you will never see him again. It’s just not possible.”
“Anna, I've been looking."
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Brando-”
"I've walked until my feet hurt. I've started recognizing the same street performers. I've memorized subway lines. I've checked every music venue I can find."
Her voice softens even more.
“Brando…”
He sighs.
“It’s just… I’ve been trying, okay? Every day, I think I see him. Someone that looks just like him. And then I follow them. But it’s never Wilson. Still, I do it every time, because what if one day it is Wilson? But it feels impossible. There are millions of people in New York. How big is the chance I will find him?”
“Hey hey hey, no. Brando, you have to realize that he’s probably looking for you too. I refuse to believe otherwise. And with two people trying to find each other, it will work. That’s just how it is.”
She’s right. Wilson is probably looking for him too. He was so swept up in trying to find Wilson, that he had forgotten that Wilson also knew Brando was in New York.
And he knew Wilson was good at hiding, if he didn’t want to be found he wouldn’t, but he wanted to be found this time. So how hard was it really?
There were still millions of people in New York, and he still didn’t have a clue where he was, but maybe he had to start looking for those. Maybe, instead of only trying to find Brando, Wilson had been leaving clues for him too.
Would it still feel impossible? Probably.
But at least he had something.
Wilson was in New York, and they both knew they were trying to find each other.
It wasn’t much.
But it was more than he’d had yesterday.
Brando looked up to the sky, just as it started raining lightly.
He stood up, walking home with Anna still on the phone.
Hopeful.
Because Wilson had to be somewhere.
Somewhere in New York.
And Brando was going to find him.
And if Brando had to search every subway station, every coffee shop, every music venue, every stupid tourist attraction they'd joked about…
then that's exactly what he was going to do.
Because this city was big.
But Brando had always been stubborn.