(love)birds of a feather

chapter nine

For Eddy, this break is an oddly divided mix of relaxation and pure suffering.

He's been given time to relax, time to practice his Sibelius. Yet, it's at the cost of Brett not being by his side, rather, he's stuck in bed with a medical condition.

As far as they know, it isn't life-threatening, but when one of them isn't feeling well, they don't take breaks without knowing how long of a break it is, nor do they feel the need to announce their break to their fans.

He's often by Brett's bedside, playing his favorite pieces for him, occasionally discreetly serenading him with Prelude.
Yesterday had a bonus beautiful moment of tranquility, sitting together and listening to a piece that brought back so many memories from uni.

The opportunity to serenade Brett wasn't worth the suffering in the hours around it, though.

The thought circles in his mind as he whispers choked words into Brett's chest, speaking to the heart within that he so desperately needs, tears streaming down his face.

A shaking hand against his cheek, mouth hovering mere inches above his as his mind divides; would it be worth it to steal a quick kiss? Or is that just wrong?

A tear falls unchecked onto Brett's cheek as if he were crying, too, and oh shoot, but his eyes flutter a bit. Thankfully, though, he stays asleep.

He pulls back. This is wrong, he mutters, before quietly fleeing the room.

♡ ♡ ♡

Next morning, and Eddy lounges on the couch, scrolling through Twitter and liking their fans' get-well-soon comments, making a mental note to show Brett the comments later.

He feels burned out without Brett by his side.

I have to be careful with you. You make the world so bright when you're next to me and so dark when you're not.

Missing you comes in vast waves. Today, love, I'll have you know I'm drowning.

He's vaguely thinking about taking a small nap when he hears a door open, and the love of his li—best friend stands there, clutching the door handle.

Eddy feels delighted to see him up and about again, but also a sense of the fact that he shouldn't be out of bed; it's a very odd mix. "Dude, what are you doing out of bed? Go back, you're not feeling well just yet."

Brett saunters over and plops down next to Eddy on the couch. Gah, too close. "I know. But I'm feeling a bit better." He looks directly into Eddy's eyes and smiles. "Just thought you'd like to see me out of bed for a change."

Eddy smiles, deep down trying desperately not to squirm under Brett's gaze. How could he say no to this beautiful soul he loves with all his heart? "Fine. You down for a game of Mario Kart?"

"Hell yeah." Brett grins back at him, standing up to retrieve the video game controllers.

For the next while, Eddy's shrieks and Brett's delirious laughter warm the air. Even though one of them is facing problems with health, their worries are for tomorrow as they spend time side by side as a mark of their friendship.

How Eddy wishes it could be more, though.

After the shrieks and laughter and loud remarks subside, subconsciously keeping some distance between eachother, they both opt for a quick nap there on the couch.

Bad idea.

♡ ♡ ♡

Brett wakes first.

The sky is no longer a light blue, rather, it's a darker blue than before; the sun is bound to be setting somewhere in the sky.