breddy oneshots❤🎻

have you got everything? (part 2/3)

Eddy closed his eyes. Brett was the first and only person to pop up in his mind. He would always be thinking of Brett, no matter where he is or what condition he is in. But the person he would be waking up to for the rest of his life… is someone whom he had never met and had absolutely no feelings for.

He reached into his back pocket and took out his most recent, as well as his last, photo with Brett. It was a sticker photo taken just yesterday at a nearby mall and each of them had a copy of the photo. Both of them were smiling at the camera, but it was obviously not their happiest smile. They were treasuring their last day together, but the fact that this would probably be the last time they see each other was heavy in their hearts.

He leaned his head against the window as he reminiscenced all his memories with Brett.

The first time they met – “Do you play the violin?” “Yea!” “Me too!”

The surprise when they met again the next day – “Oh my god, it’s you!”

The dilemma of whether to follow their mother’s wishes or to chase their dreams – “I don’t know what to do.” “You’re meant to be with music (and me).”

The first time the idea of filming came up – “I… have an idea… you know what? It’s stupid. Just forget about it.” “Hey. No idea is stupid (especially yours). Tell me and we can work it out.”

Their discussion on starting a kickstarter – “We… may have to sleep on the streets and busk every day, and-” “Okay, we’ll do it.” “What? Do you know what it means?” “Yes. I’m doing this with you.”

Fast-forward to two years ago…

When they were deciding on whether or not to move – “Do you want to move to somewhere convenient… or not. You probably want to stay with your family.” “Let’s move. Is Singapore okay?”

When the pandemic was a thing and affecting them – “Is Singapore too dangerous now? But it’ll be a lot of trouble to go back to Brisbane…” “We’ll go back.”

The shock and fear when Brett collapsed – “Fuck. What… what should I do? Are you okay? How can I…” “I’m okay… We’ll be fine…”

Eddy had always been with Brett through thick and thin and ups and downs.

Brett had always been his rock and encourager. It might seem like he was the one with the ideas, but Brett was the one who led them on and guided him along the way.

What is he doing now? Why is he leaving Brett behind?

Warm fluid ran down his face and he hastily put the photo back into his bag to protect it from getting wet. He brushed off the liquid on his face, but they kept streaming down non-stop.

The train hooted, signalling the preparation for departure. Eddy’s shoulders shook as the feeling of emptiness washed through him.

He brought his belongings, his violin, and their memories. But that was it. He left Brett behind… as well as his heart and a large piece of his soul. He was just an empty shell who was incomplete, a large chunk of him having been forcefully ripped out… by himself.

“Brett, I have something to tell you…” It was another normal sunny day, but Eddy’s mood was nowhere as sunshine as the weather outside.

Brett looked up from his computer, patiently waiting for Eddy to go on. 
Eddy forced out his words. “I got an invitation to become a soloist…”

“Oh, that’s great!” Brett beamed at his best friend, then trailed off as he noticed Eddy’s downcast look. “But…?”

“I… have to leave next week…”

Brett knew that wasn’t all of it, but he didn’t push Eddy on.

“The invitation… was given out by a Finnish millionaire who listened to and liked our 3mil Sibelius a lot… and the only condition is that,” Eddy took a deep breath and rushed out his words. “I-have-to-marry-his-daughter.”

“You have to- WHAT?” Brett stared at Eddy in shock, his mouth wide open in shock.

Eddy visibly made himself smaller. “I-”

The look of hurt, pain and betrayal flashed across Brett’s face so rapidly Eddy almost thought that he had imagined it.

Almost.

“Please tell me you said yes!” Eddy blinked in surprise as the next moment Brett was squealing and jumping up from his seat. The smaller boy flung his arms around Eddy excitedly. “This is a once in a lifetime thing!” 

“I need to move there permanently and… I don’t know if I can ever come back.” Eddy mumbled into the fluffy hair in his crook of his neck.

He didn’t know if Brett had even heard him, as Brett rambled on enthusiastically as he buried his face in Eddy’s hoodie. “You have always wanted to be a soloist… I told you your Sibelius was awesome… This is a golden opportunity for you… And you get to marry a rich girl… Your mom would love this…”
 
Eddy neither had the heart nor the courage to repeat the sentence.

The next week passed by in a blur. They were busy wrapping things up in TwoSet Violin - at least Brett was. He kept himself occupied with all sorts of administrative things while he made Eddy practice. "Can't disappoint your father-in-law, can you?" He said casually as he shoved Eddy towards their practice/former-filming room. If his voice cracked in the middle of the sentence, neither of them acknowledged it.

They were having their last supper together in their house when Brett spoke up. "I, uh, will post our farewell video tonight, if that's okay. Or do you want to post it tomorrow?" He sounded unsure of himself, like he didn't know how to talk to Eddy anymore, and the latter hated it.

"Tomorrow, maybe?"

Brett nodded. He could never say no to anything Eddy said. "Um…"

"Yea?" Eddy smiled and nudged him on. At least he tried to. He could feel his smile wavering.

Brett fidgeted in his seat, his hands fiddling with his chopsticks nervously. Eddy reached over to engulf the smaller hand in his large one encouragingly, and froze in surprise as Brett flinched and quickly retracted his hand. 

The whole house was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Brett recovered first. "Sorry, uh…" He awkwardly ran his head through his hair, then scratched his nose and pulled at his shirt, as if he didn't know where to put his hands. "Your fiance wouldn't like it, wouldn't like this," He indicated at Eddy's hand who was still resting on his side of the table, "Would she?"

Eddy nodded glumly and moved his hand back to his lap. "Yea, sorry. Er, what were you trying to say just now?"

Brett blinked. "Do you wanna go for a picnic tomorrow?"

"A picnic?" Eddy repeatedly dumbly, his face contorted in confusion.

Brett backtracked. "That was a stupid idea. Forget it."

"Hey." Eddy reached out automatically again to hold Brett's hand for encouragement, but paused as he remembered what had happened a few seconds ago. His outstretched hand returned to his lap. "No idea is stupid, yea? That's what you've always told me. And besides, a picnic sounds like an awesome idea."

"Yea… We could celebrate your last time as a single guy…" Brett's voice shook as it became smaller.

Their normally cheerful and noisy house fell into silence once again. 

Neither of them could fall asleep that night. Both of them had things to worry about, but they didn't know that they, in fact, were what, or rather, who was keeping the other awake.

Who was he without Brett? Eddy had been asking himself the same question over and over again last night, and he’s thinking about it again.

TwoSet Violin isn’t what it is without Brett and Eddy. Eddy isn’t who he is without Brett and Eddy.

-tbc-