It was 8 pm, right after dinner...

LXXXVI

Brett was mute. His ability to speak seemed to have been taken away from him. Stolen by Eddy's declaration.

He could only stand there, let the tears fall and wash out all the worries about losing Eddy and their friendship, all the insecurities, all the sadness he had felt the time he'd thought there was no way Eddy had feelings for him.

"So, what do you say, Brett?", Eddy had asked. What was there to say that could possibly match what Eddy had spoken? Even if Brett would have been a master of big words like Eddy was, which he wasn't, for the record, nothing could ever measure up to Eddy's speech.

But then, as Brett noticed Eddy's eyes slowly but surely becoming as moist as his own, it hit him. This wasn't a competition! Of course not! There was just one thing Brett needed to say, needed to show Eddy right now.

So he shook his head vigorously, wiped his tears away haphazardly and breathed in shakily.

However, Brett didn't trust his voice. So he did the one thing he could think of at this moment. On a whim, he stepped over to Eddy, placed his hand on the other's violin and eyed him inquiringly. Now it was Eddy's turn to blankly stare at him, but he loosened his grip, an act of trust really, that Brett would hold his precious instrument.

Brett took the violin and bow out of Eddy's hands, placed it on his shoulder and took a deep breath.

He played the first thing that came to his mind right now. No consideration beforehand. So the sweet notes of the Tschaikovsky violin concerto's Canzonetta started to dance around and envelop them. With every bow stroke Brett tried to express the longing, the hoping and desperation he had felt in the last few months. He tried to let Eddy understand the depth of the emotions he felt every time Eddy so much as looked at him and that he hadn't known it was possible to feel this way for anyone.

The last trill was played and soon after, the last note followed and lingered. Unlike Eddy, Brett almost immediately turned to his best friend after his performance.

Eddy stood there, his eyes wide open and Brett could see the starlight reflected in the few tears running down his face. The ten seconds of silence which followed felt like an eternity, where all sorts of thoughts ran through Brett's head. Should he say something? Had his performance been crap? And, even though he knew it made no sense, but would Eddy reject him after all after hearing him play?

But then, Eddy took quick, big steps and was suddenly very very close. Brett glanced up with big eyes. His breath hitched, his heart rate either doubled in speed or slowed down so much it nearly stopped, Brett couldn't tell. Eddy raised a hand and brushed some loose strands of hair away from Brett's forehead like a feather, barely touching his skin.

Brett shivered nonetheless.

Though as he locked eyes with this perfect being just a few centimeters across, Brett saw the searching in Eddy's gaze, a tad of insecurity, a remaining uncertainty. And years of yearning.

He took a deep breath. Eddy had been fucking brave from the beginning. Now it was time for Brett to do his part.
So he whispered:

"I love you."

The glow in Eddy's eyes turned into a blazing fire. His lips quivered.

"I love you", Brett said again, louder this time for the whole world, but most of all for his beloved to hear. He wanted Eddy to take in every pitch of this declaration and save this truth in his heart.

Eddy closed the raging flames inside him behind his eyelids upon hearing Brett's confession. A single tear made it's way down the side of Eddy's gorgeous face. Like on autopilot, Brett softly wiped it away with the index finger of his bow hand, the bow being swapped over to his left, and couldn't help but draw it over Eddy's trembling, glistening lips.

Lips he'd wanted to kiss bruised before he even knew he was in love with his best friend.

And before Brett could wonder if he was really allowed to finally, finally give in to his long surpressed yearning, Eddy leaned in.

It felt like an eternity, impossibly drawn out and the air was quivering with anticipation, until their lips met at last.
Softly, carefully and chaste at first, so different from the first time it happened and oh, was Brett ever grateful for this. Because unlike before, where it had mostly hurt, this was heaven! Eddy's lips laid soft and warm on his and started an electrical current which ran through Brett's whole body, putting him in a state where pure instinct took over. A small moan escaped Brett and he opened his mouth ever so slightly so the tip of his tongue could peek out and taste Eddy's lower lip delicately.
Nothing else had ever been as sweet as Eddy's lips and Brett doubted anything else he'd taste would ever be.
To Brett's mild surprise and biggest delight, Eddy grunted and slowly opened his mouth in turn to let Brett's tongue meet his own.

At this point, all carefullness rolled down that grassy hill they were standing on like a thundering landslide.

Eddy's arms pulled Brett closer and he opened his lips even more, thrusting his tongue into Brett's mouth and causing Brett to shiver and melt against Eddy's warm, tall frame. Kissing had never felt this good, this complete. Brett couldn't believe he had to wait for almost twenty-nine long years to finally experience perfection in form of his best friend's lips and he regretted not having put Eddy's violin down before... before THIS! 
He brushed his free hand through Eddy's soft, slightly curly hair and intensified the dance of their lips and tongues and really everything, making his heart soar and a full orchestra playing the famous bit from the fourth movement of Mahler five in his head.

Eddy pulled away, his quick breaths grazing Brett's wet lips.
"You love me", he whispered incredulously.
Brett claimed Eddy's mouth with his own again, drawing his tongue over Eddy's sweet, sweet lips, before he said: "Very much so!"
Now it was Eddy's turn to close the gap once more, his hands slowly making their way to the hem of Brett's shirt, sneaking under it, and causing Brett to flinch away.
"If you want to do this", Brett panted, "I need to put your violin down first."

Eddy chuckled and took the instrument out of Brett's trembling hand, not without placing a quick peck on Brett's lips again. Brett watched him walk over to his case and actually regretted having interrupted their moment.
"I brought dinner for us...", Eddy said while he closed his violin case, "to celebrate Christmas Eve with you... up here, if you want?"

Brett smiled, still feeling lightheaded after what must have been one the most mindblowing make out sessions in the history of humanity.
"'Course! I'd love to!"

And Eddy laid out a big blanket he must have bought recently, because, recalling their last picnic adventure, there hadn't been one around before, and placed a variety of different foods Brett was allowed to eat to celebrate Christmas and most of all, to celebrate what they both had found tonight.