Twoset Shorts

The night that changed my whole life. (fluff)

Brett had been sick for a while.
Even before we moved to Singapore.
I know his family were deeply concerned when we decided to move that far, but Brett insisted he was gonna be fine.
I was the one obsessed about moving. I needed to kind of restart my life, and I didn't mind if he would come with me. I would have left any way.
We had a lot of discussions about it, even with his family, but Brett was determined about this one.
All he wanted was to be with me.
I didn't actually know why he would bother moving in with me, that far away from home even, but he said it was the only way keeping twoset running possible, which I guess was fair. And he said he clearly needed to get away as well.
From what, I don't know, but knowing Brett, he would never give in.
Actually I had to convince and assure his mum, (and even my own mum) that I would take good care of him if something came up.
It was silly.
Everybody knowing me knew damn well I would have chosen death for that guy. I wouldn't have had to think twice or even blink about it.
It was more like an instinct of some sort. I knew I had to protect that guy, no matter the cost.

And so, we left Australia, heading for a new beginning of our lives.

I got myself a nice apartment, it even had 3 bedrooms, perfect for us, one room each, and one for recording.
I was so happy and proud about it.
Even Brett seemed to feel better for some weeks after we moved in.
I even thought that maybe he would put on some weight and have his pink cheeks, pink lips back... maybe a change of environment was all he needed!

Yes, I know I'm terribly naive. Always hoping for the best.
But that was foolish of me.

Brett got worse. And that actually happened rather fast.
It scared the crap out of me.
We even had to pause Twoset for a while, which was... I don't even have any words for it. But we had to. I had to get him to the hospital. He almost passed out one night after we'd had dinner. After that I knew my only purpose from now on was to have him back, have him recover.

I was worried about him when he wasn't by my side. I was worried when he was out, and I was worried for him when he was sleeping, even though his room was right down the hall.

One evening, Brett looked really pale, even his lips were turning a pale greyish color.
-I'd better go to bed, he told me.
-Yeah, me too, I said, figuring I could read something in bed, at least I would be closer to him from my bedroom than from the livingroom. I mean, if he would need me, you know.
I followed him to his door, hugging him tight, like I used to, told him goodnight, like I used to, but then something changed. Forever.
-Can you please sit with me? His eyes were begging me, they were scared.
-Of course!

To be honest, I was relieved!

I had to lie down next to him, there was no place to actually sit, his bed was too big, and Brett was too small. He had a double bed, and he likes to sleep by the window.
I know it's pretty common sleeping alone in doubles these days, I do too, but I use it whole. I'm sleeping in every awkward position there is, and I often find myself waking up with my body spread across the whole thing.
Brett is tiny! After a rather big weigh loss as well, he'll disappear in that big bed. And he always sleeps pretty still, keeping all his limbs on his side the whole night through.
Yeah, you wonder how I know that, right?
Brett and I shared a bed several times before, while staying at hotels, of course only booking one room.
I mean, of course we did! We're good friends, we don't argue about shit and, yeah, come on, we're asians right? We don't pay for two rooms when we can share one!
But Brett asking me this at home, that was.... a huge step in some kind of way, I don't know which, but...yeah..

So I lay down alongside him, resting my head on my hands, looking at him, where we both lay on our sides, facing each other.

He had closed his eyes, he was breathing calmly, then suddenly asking me:
-Can you please hold me?
And I was like... uuuhh... that was rather uncommon as well, but whatever made him feel better you know.
He held out his arm, indicating for me to come close to him, and I have to say I was a little hesitant but ok.
His hand rested at my hip, which I found much more pleasant than I would have thought.
He let out a whimper and shifted awkwardly, telling me his stomach hurt and asked me to come even closer. Maybe bodyheat would make his pains settle down a bit. I know that bodyheat being painrelieving actually is a thing. So I rolled along with it.
Brett grabbed me harder, more powerful than I thought possible with his tiny body, he clinged to me, suddenly I found he had actually closed all space there once was between us.
I could feel his whole, skinny body against mine, and to my huge surprise it felt... PEACEFUL. As if this was my place to be. As if every uneasy, fussy little piece of me finally laid to rest and everything was just... peace.
I've never felt that way before, but I explained to myself this was completely normal, having been worried about him all the time, and now I didn't need to be no more, because I had him resting in my arms, and he was safe.