Neighbour

11.

"Hey, let's go," Brett said in a hushed voice after opening the door for Eddy's knock. He looked back into the apartment before shutting the door very carefully and locking it behind him.

"How are you?" Eddy asked softly as he walked alongside the smaller man over to the elevator, violin case strapped to their backs for the rehearsal. It was impossible not to notice the purple bruise under his collar where the strap from the instrument case pulled it slightly down, and it made Eddy feel sick. 

"Just a bit tired," Brett shrugged as the elevator arrived with the familiar ding. His slight defensive tone made Eddy feel unsure. "Didn't sleep well last night." 

"I can imagine," Eddy mumbled, not really sure how to continue. How did you ask someone you had only really talked to for the first time yesterday about how their relationship is going? 

They started the elevator ride down to the garage in silence. Eddy could see Brett adjust the shirt he was wearing to cover up the bruise with the help of the mirror glued to one of the walls in the small space. 
"Nice shirt, by the way," he commented softly, but immediately regretted it when the tense aura from Brett hit him. 

"Thanks, Mike got it for me," Brett replied, though Eddy couldn't imagine that to be true with how he had seen Mike dress. 

"He must know your style well, then," Eddy said, trying to not sound like he thought Brett was lying. He had no proof, anyway. Maybe he did just know the guy's style? 

"He does," Brett said, maybe a bit flatly, as the elevator dinged and the doors opened for them on the garage floor. "He's the… the love of my life. Of course he knows me."

The smaller man stepped out with quick steps towards his car and Eddy had to take long strides to keep up. It was clear from Brett's tone that the conversation about the shirt ended there. 

The car ride was as quiet as the first few seconds of the elevator ride had been. Eddy couldn't help but feel like he had said something wrong, something that hurt his new friend. Maybe he was wrong to think anything was going on in the first place? Was there a chance it had been consensual? 

Was it even his business to worry about it at all?

They parked outside the concert hall the rehearsals were in, and Brett was quick to get out of the car and grab his violin case.

"Are we late?" Eddy asked, a bit confused at his stressed fumbling with the straps of his case. He got out too and grabbed his case, though, not wanting to hold him up. 

"No, no, I just… I really gotta use the restroom before rehearsal," Brett mumbled, his voice cracking halfway through the sentence. He cleared his throat and fumbled with the remote on his car keys. "I'll just run ahead." 

"Okay, thank you for…" Eddy began, but as soon as the car was locked up, Brett ran off ahead into the large building. "... the ride."