i broke the silence for you

iv. andante

forever the melody of continuance stayed within my head
forever it will stay there and loop
the same notes over and over again
still playing even when i am asleep.

     the next day, brett was pacing backstage, his violin and bow in one hand, trying to even his breathing. since she had muted his hearing aids, he didn't hear someone call his name. he only noticed that someone was there when they tapped his shoulder.

     he turned around to find eddy standing there. reading his lips, brett knew he said something like, "you ready?"

     brett nodded, and reached up to turn on his hearing aids, wincing from the buzzing that he still wasn't quite used to yet, despite having heard it almost a day yesterday. "i'm nervous."

     "aren't we all." eddy laughed. "you'll do great. i'm not saying this just to encourage you or whatever, but i actually think you'll do great."

     brett gave eddy another weird ass smile like the one he had made when eddy had written you're different in a good way in his notebook. "you're amazing too," brett said.

     eddy smiled back. "we can do this, yeah?"

     "yeah," brett verified, and they both stepped onto stage.

     brett greeted the conductor, who introduced him to the audience. he kept taking glances at eddy, finding reassurance that eddy was here. they worked so well together, and brett couldn't imagine a better life if someone else was the pianist. they just fit together so easily.

     the music started, and once again they were lost, or rather, wandering, like tolkien would say. not all those who wander are lost. brett could feel the sunlight even though it was nighttime and they were inside; he could see fireflies even though there were none; the sky was a beautiful shade of purple and orange even though it was 8 p.m. brett wove his notes between eddy's, having heard the same chords many times before but finding more endearment in the ones eddy played. this was their music, they were making such beautiful melodies together.

     brett finished the piece with an elegant bow lift, eddy enhancing the last chord and lightning his hands off the keys dramatically.

     "that was phenomenal. you expressed the piece so well. . . we need to have you. welcome to the elliot del borgo philharmonic orchestra," the conductor praised, shaking brett's hand.

     brett beamed and looked at eddy, thanking him silently. eddy gazed back at him and returned his smile. brett couldn't help but notice how good eddy looked. he blushed and glanced at his feet, rasing his arm to take off his hearing aids, relief washing over him as the beautiful, symphonic silence greeted him once again.

     "hey, that was amazing," eddy said, walking up next to brett, who was standing at the edge of the now empty stage.

     "huh? oh. sorry, I didn't hear you," brett mumbled, his response a little delayed. he lifted his hand to his ear.

     "nah, it's fine. you were great," eddy responded kindly. "do you want to go out for bubble tea? to celebrate, i mean," he added the last sentence quickly.

     "that'd be great," brett answered, hardly able to suppress his enthusiasm. eddy asked him out!—for bubble tea. to celebrate. yeah. definitely. nothing more.

     since the bubble tea shop wasn't too far, brett and eddy walked there, chatting so easily as if they had a million times, even though it was actually the fourth time.

     at the shop, eddy ordered the tea for them, since brett could hardly hear the cashier over the noise. they took a table near the door and held a conversation again, laughing at the other's jokes and discussing a sacrilegious video of someone claiming to be the fastest violinist in the world.

     every time eddy laughed, brett could feel his heart rate double. he could hardly stop himself from staring at eddy's flawless features; his silky black hair, rosy lips, delicate, brown eyes. eddy was just so hot.

     no. brett, stop it, brett scolded himself. you are not in love.

     am i in love?

    once they finished, they walked to eddy's house first because it was closer, said their goodbyes, and brett headed back home, his heart at 180 bpm. yeah. i'm definitely in love.

a/n:
pretty short chapter, sorry :/
i've already started writing the next chapter tho, it's pretty packed!!