Neighbour

15.

Eddy was tired, worried, and honestly a bit frustrated. The car wasn't where he had left it this morning, and after looking in the area to see if Brett had moved the car, Eddy decided that his neighbour must have left without him and without his violin. Walking home was his only option now, too, as the last bus had left while he waited for Brett in the concert hall. It was frustrating, but Eddy couldn't help but worry about the guy. Where had he gone? Home to his asshole of a boyfriend? 

The downstairs lobby of the apartment building was rather welcoming after how the weather gods had treated him on the way home. It started out sunny and scorching hot, which honestly was no better than the pouring rain that followed it. He had tried his best to walk quickly to avoid the violin cases getting too wet, but there was a limit for how fast it was possible to move in the weather conditions and with two violins. 

The cleaning lady that worked in the common areas if the building glared at him as he squeaked his way past her on wet sneakers to the elevator, and he gave her an apologetic look back. It really wasn't planned to walk in all drenched, but it would still give her extra work. 

The elevator dinged as it arrived on their floor and he stepped out, immediately hearing a thump and Mike's loud voice. He was slurring a bit more than he had been doing at lunch, but no more than he would normally when he heard them through the wall like this. 

Eddy made the last few steps over to their door, listening again. 
"Please just listen," Brett cried, clearly distraught. "It's nothing, I promise you. You have to believe me. It won't happen again." 
"You expect me to believe that, huh? You slut, I should punish you. How about you have a little accident that make you have to take off from work, hm?" 
"Please don't, I…" 

It got quiet for a few seconds when Eddy knocked on the door, and then some steps and quiet but intense whispering that he couldn't really make out. He knocked again, and the door creaked open to reveal Brett's dark hair and his red, puffy eyes. 

"Hi, you forgot this," Eddy said softly, offering him his violin back. Brett rubbed his eyes hard, seeming to try and keep himself from crying. 

"Thank you," Brett said quietly, clearing his throat. "I'm… I'm sorry I just left, I had to… to sort something out." 

"Don't worry about it, Brett. It's not that long of a walk," Eddy said, trying to smile a little. Brett shifted uncomfortably, looking back into the apartment where Eddy couldn't see from where he was standing. 

"Uh… I… I also think it's… it's best if we travel separately to work. I'm sorry," Brett said quickly, looking everywhere but at Eddy. "I uh… I have some stuff I have to do before work so… uh…" 

Eddy furrowed his brows a bit, not expecting that. He figured it wasn't really Brett's own words he was hearing now, but he had to accept them as such. What else could he do? 

"Okay, I'll take the bus then. It's no problem," he assured him with a small smile. "Thanks for the rides anyway. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?" 

"Oh, I don't think… I mean…" 
Brett paused as he finally met Eddy's eyes.
"Anything, Brett. If you need help, I'm here, okay?" 

It was quiet between them for a bit before Brett seemed to crash back to Earth. He averted his gaze and shook his head. 
"I don't need anything from you," he said quickly, taking a step back into the apartment. "I'll see you later." 

The door closed in Eddy's face, and he stood there for a bit trying to gather his thoughts. There wasn't really much he could do if Brett didn't want his help, was there?