Fantasia

XCIV

"But..."
"No, Eddy, absolutely not!"
"But, what if..."
"What you gonna do about it? You can't stay awake for the rest of your life just to look after me."
"But how am I supposed to just sleep without being worried to death?"
"Bro! I'm still hooked to all sorts of monitors and machines. If it would come down to it, half of the hospital would be alarmed. Isn't that what happened last night anyway? And I'm positive you'd be able to save me a second time."
"Once is enough. Believe me!"
"And believe me, when I say I'm going to be fine."
Eddy looked at Brett sceptically.
"Arrrgh, alright!", he threw his hands up in the air in defeat and finally settled in the guest bed they had put Eddy in the night before.
"Come on. Don't give me that pout. You know, it's the only thing that makes sense", Brett meant, folded his hands behind his head and lay back.

Of course Eddy knew. But still...
"How are you not worried?", he huffed. 
"I know where I'll be going to", Brett sighed contently, like a child snuggling into their favourite blanket after a long, eventful day, "Besides, you only have to play the violin and I'd jump right back."
"What if it doesn't work?", Eddy lamented, "I have no other piece to play anymore. What if that was a one time thing?" He nestled with his quilt, turning it into a messy pile of white cotton.
Brett reached out his hand and just so managed to grab Eddy's elbow. Good to know, that their beds were an arm lengths away.

"Hey." The warm, surprisingly strong hand grounded Eddy. "You're really scared, huh?"
Eddy hesitated. "I..." He quickly glanced at Brett's kind expression just to turn his attention to his half covered knees again. "It's just... I really don't wanna lose you." The last words came out almost toneless. 
Brett squeezed his arm. "Eddy, look at me."
It took a moment, but eventually, Eddy did.
"I can't even begin to imagine what you've been through this morning and I can't promise nothing won't happen. No one can."
"How uplifting", Eddy mumbled. Brett laughed. 
"But either way, it's gonna be alright. You'll be alright even without me."
"I don't want to be, Brett! I need you!"
"And I'm almost a hundred percent positive that you won't get rid of me that fast."
Eddy tried to take in some of Brett's confidence for himself, tried to copy Brett's sure expression to trick his brain in thinking everything was going to be okay.
"Okay..."
"Okay?"
"Yeah", Eddy attempted to convince himself.

"Good. Can we go to bed now? How is it that I'm so beat even after having slept for six months?"
Eddy sniggered and lay down himself while taking deep breaths. 
It's going to be fine. Brett's gonna be fine.

And Brett was. It still took Eddy an eternity to fall asleep after they had turned off the lights, his ears anxiously listening to every small movement, every single breath so he could calm his heart. Eventually, Brett's regular, slow breathing lulled Eddy into a deep slumber, a dreamless one for once. It really seemed like they wouldn't turn back to those odd places again during their sleep.

The next morning, Eddy woke up the first time in six months without being covered in sweat, having to run for the toilet or having to hurry to find Brett. It was the first morning in half a year, in which he felt well rested, relaxed and peaceful.

"You awake?", his best friend asked from the bed next to him. Eddy turned his head and let his eyes focus on that wonderful face beaming at him. 
"See? I told you! I didn't die!"
"Would have killed you again if you would have", Eddy yawned lazily, stretched his back and let his bones crack here and there. 
"Don't think the doctors would have been pleased with that."
"Speaking of which, you had your first check-up already?" Eddy must have missed it, because judging from the light shining through the curtains, it must have been like at least 9 a.m..
"Yup. All good. Gonna have physio in half an hour."
"Good", Eddy smiled and got up in one swift movement. It was also the first morning in forever, in which Eddy actually craved for a 10k run instead of dreading it. When had his energy found its way back to him?
"Is your family gonna come in?"
Brett grabbed his phone and glanced at the screen. "Alan has to work, but he'll come after. Mum and dad are gonna be here soon."
"Then I'll better get ready."

Funny, Eddy thought, how easy it was and how natural it felt for him to wake up next to Brett. After everything that had happened, after all the drama, how were their conversations so effortless? It was like breathing, like blinking. It was instinctive, and it felt so right. 

"Weird", Eddy shook his head to his own reflection in the bathroom mirror. A smile sneaked itself onto his face. If this was going to be their new reality, he was more than happy to face any challenges that might come his way.

A/N: Happy tenth anniversary, Twoset!!!