Con Brio: Todd and Ian's story

27) Todd

He doesn't have to follow through on his threat, because he's only just walking back into their room when Eddy appears in the door opening. Looking dreadful. His eyes are red, his cheeks are blotchy. 
He's clearly been crying. 
It's clearly Todd's fault. 
Fuck. 
He needs to fix this. 
"Well, hello there!" he says in his happiest tone. "Did you crash out?"
"Wow, er, yeah, kind of." Eddy says. He's taken aback, Todd can tell. "I'd kind of thought this door would be closed tonight."
Todd laughs freely and walks over to him, wraps him in a tight hug, wills him to feel better, to see that he is better now, and so is Ian. Eddy doesn't need to worry anymore.
"Nah. We have all night." he says after he's clapped him on the back. "We need to celebrate with our greatest friends. Dinner's on us, tonight."
"Oh!" Eddy says as he glances back at Brett, clearly to check if he's cool with it. "Wow, okay, well, lead the way then."

He makes sure he stays close to Eddy as they walk through the busy streets, even though he has no idea what to say to him yet. Does he tell him, that he's seen he's been upset? That he's so sorry he caused that? But he guesses Eddy didn't want him to see, so saying anything to him will only make him feel awkward, which is the last thing he wants. He tenses his lips as he looks up ahead where Ian is walking, talking to Brett, almost like he understands Todd's need for a little space, to make shit up to Eddy.
He should have kept his eyes open though, because he crashes into Eddy and Eddy smiles. 
And that little smile tells Todd enough that he knows to keep his mouth shut about anything emotional and just play it cool. 
"You good?" Eddy asks him. 
"More than good, Eddy." he tells him honestly. "You know, I was just telling Ian in our room earlier about how you found out about how I felt about him, back at the con, when you guys recorded that video in the practice room, remember? Turns out he liked me even then. Am I stupid, or what?"
Eddy puts his hand on his shoulder for a second and smiles again. 
"Nah. None of us knew. He's not someone who shows a lot, you know that. He's hard to read."
"Yeah, I can tell you it's getting easier by the minute though." Todd jokes, and Eddy rolls his eyes and shakes his head. 
Good. 
Amused is better than crying. Amused is much better than worried. 
They catch up to the others just by a little restaurant, boasting hotpot. 
Brett and Eddy's favourite.
"All you can eat hotpot. Go in?" he asks.
"Yes please." Brett grins. "They may rethink that sign after I'm done. I could quite literally eat a horse right now."
"I'd love to see you try." Todd laughs, and he leads the way into the restaurant. 

It's a quiet little place, red decor, of course, with some painted wooden dragons here and there on little side tables. They are shown to a nice table in the corner, by the window. 
Perfect. 
He sits down next to Ian and takes his hand under the table, intertwining their fingers. He can feel him responding straight away, his thumb carresses the top of his hand and his breath speeds up a little. 
He can't help a little smile. Ian wants him, that much is clear, and he wants him bad. Who knew? And he can have him, of course. All of him. He squeezes Ian's hand back, just to show him he feels the same. As soon as they've eaten, and those boys across from him are happy, he is taking him back to the hotel and he's making very sure he has a very good night.