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CXVI

There was applause, there were occasional cheers here and there even, there was Mr. Thames nodding at him with a smile and Mr. Jones clapping enthusiastically. There was Eddy, beaming, shining at him with eyes so bright it let Brett forget that he’d just played a whole concerto with an orchestra and that it had gone well. Real well, actually. 
“Wonderful, Brett! Well done!”, Mr. Jones exclaimed, climbed on stage and gave Brett’s shoulder a few proud claps, “Very impressive for your first run-through! There are a few passages I’d like you to work on…”
And like this, Mr. Jones shared his observations for Brett to know what he could focus on when practicing while Mr. Thames let the orchestra off to break time. 

“You did sooo well, Brett!”, Eddy thused as Brett sat down and put his violin away, “Amazing! Really!”
“You’re not saying this only because you like me?”, Brett winked while running a hand through his hair with a deep sigh, “Wasn’t perfect though. Mr. Jones pointed out some time issues where we weren’t quite together yet because I rushed.”
“That’s what rehearsals are for! To figure out what we can work on. And we have a whole week to polish it up for your big performance.”
“OUR big performance. It’s not just about me”, Brett meant.
Eddy chuckled. “You’re the soloist. There’s no denying that.”
“Still don’t know why they chose me to be honest. Your second movement at the competition was everything!”
“Glad you liked it”, Eddy said quietly, almost as a whisper, “Since it was played for you, because of you.”
Eddy’s words did their magic again and made Brett blush so hard he had to hide his face in his hands with a groan so he wouldn’t fall off the chair.
“I’m not surprised you did so well”, Mr. Thames' voice sounded in front of Brett and he scrambled to get his face free which he shouldn’t have bothered with because what their conductor said next let him wish he’d be in possession of a power to let him sink through the floor. “With that kiss you’ve gotten before the run-through.”
Eddy snorted, Brett froze and Mr. Thames gloated visibly over the reaction he caused. 
“Please don’t tell my parents!”, Brett blurted out before he knew. 
“As if this is any of my business”, Mr. Thames meant with a backhand wave, “A tip though, you might want to keep things a little bit more lowkey than showing your affection in front of the whole orchestra if you’re not ready yet.”
And with that said, he strode towards the exit with Mr. Jones, his grin visible even from the back. 

The two boys stared at each other, neither of them blinking until they burst out in pearls of laughter echoing through the nearly empty hall.
“He knows!”, Brett brought out after he’d finally caught his breath and himself again.
“Yup, he does”, Eddy nodded and wiped a tear away, “Gosh, Brett. I’m sorry if…”
“Are you kidding?”, Brett cut in, “Nah! Your kiss is what saved my run-through, I reckon! No apologizing.”
“I should have been a tad more sensible, no? Like, Mr. Thames is right. Like this, we’ll be made in no time.”
Brett laid his head back, eyes wandering over the wooden ceiling of the concert hall meters above him. He knew he didn’t want his parents to be involved yet. He wanted to see how things went the next week and gain some clarity himself before giving them a heart attack over potentially nothing. But all the others, their peers and friends and people making music with them? Sure, there was a risk of words getting out…
“Correct me if I’m wrong”, Brett said slowly, ”I kind of have the feeling you wouldn’t mind too much if others would know.”
“If I’d care, I wouldn’t have kissed you here”, Eddy said very straight forward, “That doesn’t mean I should just do it though. If you’re uncomfortable with it…”
“I’m not sure if I am. I don’t want my parents to know yet.”
“Same! Don’t know how my mum’s gonna react honestly.”
Brett nodded. “But other than them, I’m pretty sure I don’t care.”
And as soon as he’d said it, Brett knew it was true. He’d told his friends and the worst he could imagine happening other than their parents hearing from it was them being made fun of by people he didn’t give a shit about. He briefly imagined Katie’s face and chortled.
“What?”
“Katie. Imagine her finding out I’m in love with a boy.”
Eddy laughed. “I demand front row seats when she does.”
“Guess the chances of you being around when her jaw hits the floor are pretty high.”
“And how high are the chances of our parents finding out now?”, Eddy asked, his fingers tentatively reaching out for Brett’s. Brett glanced around. The others had left the hall long ago with time ticking away quickly. Getting coffee was probably gonna be difficult by now. It was only Eddy and him here. He stretched out his hand and took Eddy’s, softly stroking the other’s big, soft and yet strong palm. 
“How many Sydney con students’ parents know your mum?”
“Doubt anyone knows or has ever talked to her, since we’re not from here and I’m terrible at making friends.”
Brett guffawed. “Not true! You just didn’t want to.”
“What about you?”
“Well, I told Nathan about us, by the way. Hope that’s okay?”
“Of course! You can tell whomever you want!”
Brett smiled. “My friends’ lips are sealed. As for the others… I honestly didn’t keep track on who knows my parents and who doesn’t.”
“But there is a small risk then.”
“There might be”, Brett said, his fingers giving Eddy’s a squeeze, “But I’m not sure if I care enough for us to stop… you know.”
“Showing each other our affection?”, Eddy finished Brett’s sentence with a wink. Brett leaned his head on Eddy’s shoulder and sighed a tiny, satisfied “Yes.”
“Then let’s don’t?”, Eddy suggested, “Maybe not full on snog in front of others?” 
Brett huffed. 
“And if you feel uncomfortable in any way, you tell me right away. Deal?”
“Same goes for you”, Brett insisted.
“You know”, Eddy leaned in, his tone suddenly different, deeper, spoken from the back of his throat, “You can show more, if you like.”
Brett’s throat closed up in an instant and he had difficulties breathing as he stuttered, “Uhm, you mean…”
“Touches, hugs, strokes, kisses, you name it.”
Sly bastard, making Brett’s pulse enter allegretto when the first students trodded back into the hall. 
“At the moment, it’s mostly me initiating things, which is fine for me, but… just so you know, I’d be okay if you take what you want. Very okay actually.”
If Eddy knew, if Eddy knew what effect his words had on Brett Brett wasn’t sure if he still would have chosen to tell him. It took all of Brett’s already weakened willpower to not jump on Eddy’s lap and claim his mouth with his right then and there, possibly endangering their violins in the open cases in the process. He shook his head wildly, pulled his hand away because he simply had to to fucking keep his composure and took a few deep breaths. 
“Are you alright?”, Eddy asked seemingly clueless about Brett’s flustered state.
“You have no idea how much I’d like to respond to your wish right now.”
Eddy’s blush, creeping from the hem of his shirt up to the tip of his ears made Brett grin mischievously. Eddy wasn’t the only one with knee-buckling powers, apparently. And to prove his point, or maybe just because he wanted, Brett brought his lips to that delicious pulse at Eddy’s neck in a flush move and placed a feather light kiss right there.