Neighbour

28.

"How are you feeling now, Brett?" Eddy asked softly after Brett had his second cup of tea and some biscuits Eddy found in his cupboard. The poor guy looked like he struggled to keep his eyes open, but every time they closed for slightly longer than a blink, he would jolt awake.

"I don't know," the smaller man answered quietly, pulling the blanket Eddy had given him slightly tighter around himself. Not because he was cold, though it could seem that way from the way he was trembling slightly still. "I'm sorry I'm keeping you up."

"I just want you to be okay, and if staying up is what's needed, I will," Eddy assured him for the fifth time that evening. He knew he would happily do it a million more times if he had to. "Is there anything I can do to help you feel better, though? Help you sleep?"

Brett shrugged slightly, looking down at his hands. The swelling on his wrists hadn't gone down, and the red rope marks had turned out to be hiding bruises as well.

"I can sleep out here with you, if you'd like," Eddy offered softly, and Brett glanced up at him for a moment as if looking to see if he really meant it. His gaze fell back down to the tainted skin, though. 

"I don't want to make you sleep somewhere uncomfortable just because… because I'm here," Brett said quietly, shaking his head slightly. "I'm okay, you can go to sleep if you want. I'm sorry for keeping you up."

Eddy very carefully placed a hand on Brett's underarm, stroking it slightly. He didn’t know what possessed him to do it, especially when Brett flinched slightly being touched. It took a moment for Brett to relax again.

"Listen, you're not keeping me up or making me sleep anywhere. Promise," Eddy said softly, giving an assuring smile when Brett slowly lifted his gaze up. "I just want you to be okay."

Brett opened his mouth as if wanting to say something, ask for something, but he hesitated. 

"You're safe, Brett," Eddy added softly to encourage him, watching Brett struggle to decide if he should trust him. It only made Eddy angry to see. How dared the dickhead that called himself Brett’s boyfriend make him feel so unsure and scared he didn’t dare to ask for something he needed from a friendly face?

"I uh… I really don't want to make you… uncomfortable…" Brett began hesitatingly, looking up to meet Eddy’s eyes. They were searching. Searching for danger and anger. When he didn’t find any, he bravely continued his request. "Not by sleeping on the couch or… or anything, but…" 

Brett took a shaky breath, his gaze shifting down to where Eddy's thumb gently stroked the soft skin of his underarm.

"If it's okay with you…" he continued, his voice breaking and forcing him to take another breath. "Just… maybe I can sleep… on the floor maybe, in your room? And you in your bed? Just so I won’t be alone. Please."