It was 8 pm, right after dinner...

CXIX

"God! Why does it always have to be so hot?"
"Because it's a freaking tropical country!"
"Looking forward to winter in Australia, mate!"
"Don't worry! Very soon, we'll playing a very chill concerto", Eddy winked and brushed his index finger against the back of Brett's hand. However, that reminded Brett of how much practice he was yet supposed to do and he groaned loudly.
"Damn! Really have to bring those 40 hours in!"
"Don't pressure yourself. Let's see, what Dr. Han has to say first."

They reached their destination. Eddy held the door to the office of Brett's doctor open like a true gentleman and Brett was thankful for the AC blasting very much needed cold air around in the waiting room.

It was probably his last appointment at the Gastroenterologist. At least for now. And hopefully forever.

"Are you okay?", Brett asked Eddy while they were waiting after someone had taken Brett's blood for the lab. Eddy seemed quiet, pensive.
"Yeah", Eddy sighed half heavily and took Brett's hand in his despite the widening eyes of one elderly woman across the room. Screw her! Life was too short to care about what some stranger might be thinking about them.
"Just reminiscing! We've come a long way since we've gotten the diagnosis", Eddy answered.
Yeah, it did feel like a lifetime ago. Brett shook his head, thinking about how their relationship had evolved since he'd been (falsely) diagnosed.
"Crazy, huh", Brett simply stated with a chuckle.
"Crazily beautiful", Eddy whispered with a smile, in which Brett could practically feel the the love Eddy had for him. He shivered and was pretty sure, that he wasn't able to hide the blush creeping up on his cheeks from that woman.

"Your values have improved considerably!", Dr. Han exclaimed with a smile after she looked through the results of Brett's blood test. Eddy's smile was soon broader than hers and he took Brett's hand underneath the table, squeezing it firmly.
"Good!", Brett sighed and leaned back.
"Yes! Very. The medication is doing it's work, apparently. How is it going with adjusting your diet? Any symptoms that popped up?", she asked, eyeing Brett closely.
"Nah", he shook his head. The most happy headshake he'd ever given, he reckoned. "All good so far. I started slow, like you recommended. Now I eat pretty much everything again. And I've not experienced any nausea or anything."
"These are, indeed, great news!" Dr. Han typed something in her computer, before she said: "I'll do a quick check up, but looking at your blood values and considering you're not experiencing any symptoms anymore, it looks like you'll only have to come in for a final check up in a month's time or so."
"Cool! Let's do this!"

As predicted, it was all good. Brett was adviced to keep gaining weight and maintaining a rational work-life balance, whereby she put a lot of emphasis on the word "life". Eddy threw a serious glance in his direction as she went on with her monologue about how important it was to get fresh air, do exercise and eat healthy, while Brett just listened with one ear.
He had Eddy taking care of him, which was the best health insurance for anyone, really. Not that Brett didn't want to take on any responsibility for himself, but it made his heart light to know, that there was someone looking out for him.

And boy, was Brett ever thankful when she dismissed them with a smile and a simple check up appointment in a month's time. There were no new meds, no treatment plans, no new diets or hospital stays anymore. There was only a smiling doctor, her very relieved and grateful patient and his even more relieved boyfriend.

"Let's celebrate!", Eddy decided when they stepped out of the doctor's office into the humid, hot Singapore air, took Brett's hand without preamble and pulled him along.
"O- okay...?", Brett stuttered, trying to keep up with Eddy's long strides.
They made their way to the closest bubble tea shop, of course.
"Two large brown sugar milk teas, half sugar less ice!" Eddy flashed a winning smile to the cute cashier behind the counter, who blushed almost immediately. Brett snorted.
"Bro! Large? You wanna give me instant diabetes?"
"Nah! You need to gain weight! Doctor's orders! We need to celebrate this!"
They stepped aside to clear the queue, the cashier clearly looking Eddy up and down.
Brett put his hand on Eddy's shoulder, partly to give the cashier girl a hint, and felt the tension leaving the other's body. He put a heartfelt squeeze on it. "You okay?"
Eddy turned around, his eyes visibly moved. "I'm..." He swallowed hard and laid his hand on Brett's next to his own face. "I'm just super thankful you're okay..."
"Oh, Eddy..."

Brett had been getting better for weeks now, and Eddy had still been worried?
"I'm gonna be fine! You're not gonna get rid of me that easily. Don't worry."
A tear spilled out of Eddy's eye, testament of how much Dr. Han's encouraging words this morning meant to him.
"Oh, Eddy, love...", Brett turned both of them towards a corner to avoid curious stares and brushed the tear away, "It's gonna be fine. I'm fine now! You don't need to worry anymore."
"I know, I know...", Eddy sniffed, "I guess I'm still glad after today... it feels more definite. Safer, somehow."
Brett nodded. "I get it." And he did. For Brett, experiencing himself feeling better day by day and having that wholesome moment on the couch before Christmas while Eddy had been sleeping had been kind of enough to know he was getting there. And although Eddy had seen him getting better, maybe there still had been this lingering fear of something not being right yet.
After all, he had lived with that fear for months now.
"Let's fetch our bobas and go somewhere where we can raise our glasses, all right?", Brett suggested, rubbing Eddy's shoulder.
Eddy bobbed his head, seemingly calmer now.

This time, it was Brett who held Eddy's hand and led him to a somewhat secluded bench in a smaller alley. There, they sat down, each holding a huge cup of the heavenly beverage.
"To us!", Brett said solemnly, raising his bubble tea. Eddy smiled. "No, Brett. To you, overcoming this illness."
Brett shook his head stubbornly. "Nah! To us! Overcoming all this shit together!"
"Okay!", Eddy laughed, "To us then!"

Yeah, because where would Brett be now without Eddy?