Club - a Breddy Fanfic.

92) Bathroom

"Hey, mate. You all right?" Brett asks in a tone he hopes is casual. He looks closely at Mason's image in the big, gold rimmed mirror above the bright, white sink before him. The buzzing of the big all-you-can-eat restaurant is behind them, only a generic Chinese tune playing in the background here, finally giving him a moment to ask Mason this question. Though the conversations at the table have been energetic, the food quite good and everything has been pretty nice, Mason has been quiet all evening. He has been smiling all the time, so he should be all right, but still Brett is a tad worried.

"Ah, you saw." Mason looks back at him in the mirror and a bigger, slightly wistful smile grows on his face. "Of course you saw. I'm okay. Don't worry."
Brett frowns. If people say not to worry, he worries. Mason sees his look and chuckles.
"Really, Brett. I'm just a bit overwhelmed, you know. Can't believe we are here. Like this." Mason takes some soap and rubs it under his nails thoughtfully before he continues. "It's such a contrast with yesterday when everything felt so wrong. I thought I blew it all big time. And now..." He looks to the side towards the black door with the red kanji logo as if he's psychic and can see through it, seeing Timo sitting at their table on the other side.

Brett nods and smiles a soft smile, his eyes warm. He knows the feeling very well. Every time he thinks about Eddy, he is overwhelmed as well. "I'm happy it worked out like we wanted."

"Did you know?" Mason asks so quietly Brett can barely hear the question at all. "About how Timo felt?" Mason's gaze is at the hands he's meticulously scrubbing clean, as if he has to go into surgery next.

"No. Even Eddy didn't know. Timo had everybody fooled." Brett shrugs. "And I didn't tell Eddy about yours, because you asked me not to. So until this morning we had no idea that it was mutual."
He wishes, not for the first time since hearing about what happened, that he would have been home last night. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you yesterday. I had no idea what happened. It could have made things so different."

"No worries." Mason says it casually, but Brett knows straight away that he means it. He's not blaming him.

"Did you hear me come in?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you come to me? Tell me? Why didn't you wait up?"
It has been bothering him all day. Because how often has Mason walked into his room when he was freaking out or in a panic? Countless times. And now Mason needed him and he went to sleep like nothing happened. Why does Mason have that sixth sense when Brett is in shambles and why doesn't Brett have it when it's the other way around?

"I thought about it. But I was confused. And also very ashamed that I blew my chance because my response had been so off. And you couldn't have done anything anyway." Mason adds ruefully.

"I could have listened?" Because he is not that easily put at ease like that. "Just like you always listen to me."

"Like you share everything, huh?" Mason nudges Brett's shoulder with his own.
Brett's surprised eyes fly to their images in the mirror and Mason chuckles.
"Brett. Nobody realizes how much of an oyster you are. You act like you're so open, talkative, but that in fact you are so closed up. You push the real you to the back of your being in a way that I never know you are even showing me everything."

Brett stills. Mason knows him so well. "You know why I developed that. Even at early age I kept people at distance, but with B I cultivated my deadpan face." A chill runs across his spine. Thinking back is painful. "But I've shared so much already, more than with anyone." He closes the tap and shakes the water off his hands. "But I'm really okay now."

Mason tilts his head to the side. "Yeah? You had a dream again a few days back which you haven't talked about."

Brett's eyes widen. "You've heard, huh? Shit." He had hoped to not bother anyone with that.

"Wanna tell me about it?" Mason asks quasi nonchalantly.

"Not tonight. Because how is this suddenly about me?!" Mason might know Brett, but that works both ways, so Brett knows he always does this diversion thing when he is the topic and he's not falling for it tonight. "I want to know about you and Timo! What happened when we left?"

"Alright." Mason takes a moment and looks at himself in the mirror. "We talked. Cuddled. But mostly slept. You have no idea how it felt when I woke up. Him on me like, breathing softly." Mason colours slightly and finally rinses the soap thoroughly from his hands. "It felt so good."

"Yeah. It's so nice to wake up besides someone." Brett can't help swallowing visibly. Eddy makes everything different. He's healing so much that he didn't even know was broken.

"I'm glad you can do that again." Mason ruffles Brett hair with a wet hand as he reaches for the paper towels.

"Yeah. Me too." Brett says softly. He shakes his shoulders loose. He shouldn't dwell on this, or he'll become all mushy. It only takes him a second and his face is neutral again. He wiggles his eyebrows meaningfully as he mentions: "But nothing happened after you woke up?"

Now Mason really colours crimson now. "No. Didn't dare. But we kissed." he adds hastily. "You know what's weird? To kiss someone and feel stubble, but it's arousing nonetheless. Never thought that could happen."

"Believe me, stubble add to the sensation." Brett chuckles and lowers his voice. "In all ways. Everywhere."

Mason snorts. "I bet they will." He takes a few seconds to dry his hands thoroughly, taking more time than necessary. "God. I would want to explore that." He turns quickly so Brett can't see his expression as he walks to the door. Brett grabs him by the shoulder and turns him to face him again.

"Listen. Go as slow as you have to. Don't rush things. Talk. That's the best advice I can give you: Talk about what you want and discuss when the time is all right to do those things." Brett gives Mason a serious look. Because it is a serious matter, often neglected. Brett knows that firsthand. "And if lust takes over, just go with the flow. But when you feel any hesitation at all, just tell him that. Talk. Alright?"

"Wise words, Brett." Mason pats Brett's hand, that still lies on his shoulder. "Come. Let's go back before the others worry and come and get us."