i broke the silence for you

viii. marcia moderato

your voice is like a sweet serenade,
a welcoming concerto of bliss
the only symphony i need to hear.

     brett sat, restless, on the bed, head in his hands. the moonlight filtered through the curtains and landed gingerly on the bedsheets as if it was afraid to shine any brighter. the silence was a little more generous at that moment and came to sit next to him, easing him slightly, politely allowing his anxiety to speak to him peacefully. everything around him seemed so calm. if the world could relax, then brett could, right?

     he didn't see or hear the door being opened. it was the slight leaning of the bed next to him that told him that someone was beside him. he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders and pull him close and a chin resting atop his head. brett leaned into eddy and sighed, small tears escaping between his closed eyelids.

     eddy shifted a bit and brett opened his eyes. a notepad was settled on his lap with the words, "you okay?" written on it.

     i'm okay, he responded.

     do you want to talk about it?

     no, it's okay. he paused before adding, did you ever feel stressed when you started being a soloist?

     yeah. i didn't really get used to it though, more like i learned to accept it. just because a passage in a piece is hard doesn't mean that you can get rid of it, right?

     yeah. brett smiled. he appreciated eddy’s insight.

     you can do this. i'm sure of it.

     brett leaned into eddy and finally relaxed. the atmosphere was so perfect, like the world was preparing just for this quiet, intimate moment. his tensed muscles eased as he breathed deeply, enjoying the moment before it went away.

      but, of course, all good symphonies had to end. eddy gently held brett’s shoulders and prodded him so he was sitting up, both staring into each other's sunken eyes. eddy stood up and grabbed eddy's hand, not wanting him to leave. he pulled the taller boy closer to him and into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around his waist. eddy returned the gesture and slung his arms around brett's neck, rubbing his back affectionately.

     after a while, eddy let go, to brett's dismay, and turned to leave the room. the trace of his scent still hung in the air, acting as a lullaby as brett laid down to sleep, his anxiety hidden beneath heavy eyelids as the darkness came once again.

~ ♪ ~

     the next morning, eddy woke up early. memories of last night still hung around his subconscious, refusing to let him settle. how could he have not seen that brett was stressed? it practically broke his heart seeing brett upset. the shorter violinist had the most beautiful smile ever and eddy hated anything that took it away from his gorgeous face.

     he headed over to brett's room, eager to check if he was alright. the sunlight rested on his angelic frame and made him look so ethereal. there was no trace of his distress from last night, thankfully. he ran his large hand through the smaller boy's thick hair.

     it was so silent. even his breath didn't sound like it usually did. the little sounds he was so used to hearing got absorbed in the quiet, and the things that didn't make any sounds shouted without words. even his heart that sped up whenever he saw brett was still, deciding to be kind at that moment and give eddy a rest.

     he wondered if this was what brett felt like.

     those sounds in everyday life not being a part of his symphony; only a few instruments, the peaceful calm of the silence hidden in between the notes, but a beautiful symphony nevertheless.