Play!

CXXXI

They could have stayed there forever in their little bubble of happiness, shutting the world out as far as Brett was concerned. Unfortunately, time didn’t stop for anyone and eventually, they forced their legs to move forward again. 
“You bringing me home?”
“Like a real gentleman, of course”, Eddy said, nose up high, looking so proud it made Brett crack up. 
“No sleepover then”, he exhaled dramatically. 
Eddy snickered, his hand giving Brett’s a light squeeze. “We’ll get in trouble if security’s there. And you have a roommate who I’m pretty sure would have something against it.”
“Cole’s chill though.”
“Even if we start making out?”
Brett guffawed. “Maybe not.”
“Because that’s the future scenario I can predict with a hundred percent certainty if we land in the same bed I tell you.”
“How tempting.”
“Yeah…”

“You know”, Eddy began after some comfortable silence, only disrupted by approaching thunder, “... this might be too straight forward, but what the hell. After today, I’m even more certain that I want to be with you.”
“Even if the danger of me pranking your scaredy cat ass increases dramatically?”, Brett asked over his pounding heart. After all, this kind of had been one of the goals too, getting to know each other more so they could eventually make a decision. Maybe not today but sue him for rising to cloud nine after hearing Eddy’s statement.
“Haha!”, the other made, “Yeah. Even then! It’s a very, very small price to pay actually.”
“You don’t know how savage I can get.”
“Gotta ask Cole then before I jump into this.”
Brett’s laugh echoed through the night. “Then I’m doomed.”

It took a while for them to come down from their laughing fit.
“But seriously”, Brett finally managed while wiping droplets from the corner of his eye, “I like the straightforward way you say things. Makes it easier.”
“Yeah?”, Eddy smiled.
“Yup. And I wanna contribute.” He took a deep breath. Here goes nothing, he thought. And hadn’t Eddy already laid the groundwork? It was funny and a bit ridiculous though, how much courage he still had to bring up.
“This day made me like you even more which I didn’t think was possible. I’m sold, honestly.
“On…”, Eddy stuttered, “On… us, you mean?”
“Yeah”, the smaller nodded, “I don’t know what else has to happen to solidify this.”
“This… wow.”
“Too early?”, Brett looked at Eddy, catching him whipping his head left and right.
“Nah! I mean, you’ve seen the worst of me already.”
“And we’ve had our big fight as well.”
“So the basics are kinda covered, I guess.”
Brett bobbed his head without suppressing the nervous grin breaking out. “I guess.”

They turned into the street where Brett's hotel was located. He gulped, glad when Eddy opened his mouth, breaking the tension with what he said next. 
“You know what? Let’s give each other a bit more time.”
It was the only sensible thing to do, Brett was well aware, for it would be very unwise and kind of rushed to make a decision now just because they’d had one admittedly awesome date. So why was there this plummeting feeling again? Like someone was ripping the ground away underneath his feet. He cleared his throat. 
“And you know what? Let’s not think too much about when and where and how”, he found himself saying, almost begging, “We’ll talk when we feel like we’re ready, if that’s fine with you? For me, it’s plenty to know you like me a lot and I like you a lot too.”
Yeah, because he was getting tired of always having to churn his mind around big decisions and having to weigh the risks and consequences which came with starting a relationship with his love. Like Cole said, learning more about the other and spending time together should be enough for now. They had a week left. An incredibly busy and full week, obviously, but still…
Eddy laid his arm around Brett’s shoulder and pulled him close. 
“I like that.”
“Yeah?”
“Just enjoying time with you without thinking too much? Of course!”
Brett chuckled and snuggled more into the taller. “Can’t wait to see you tomorrow already.”
“Me too”, Eddy mumbled into Brett’s hair.
“Mmh…”
“You tired?”
“A little”, Brett admitted and closed his eyes.
“We’re there soon, my love. Don’t fall asleep on me.”
“What? Don’t wanna carry me around?”
“I’m gonna, princess style if you’re not careful.”
“I’m quite heavy, you know.”
“No you’re not. I’ve carried you before.”
Brett creased his brows as he recalled the embarrassing incident not too long ago. “True. Sorry again for-”
“Nah!” Eddy held up his free hand. “No apologizing. It’s what you always tell me not to do.”

They reached the entrance of the hotel and came to a halt. Brett buried his face into Eddy’s shirt, beyond caring if anyone from his con would see.
“Don’t go!”, his inner child pleaded.
Those strong arms around Brett’s frame, holding him close. They felt like home already, like safety. “I wished I wouldn’t have to.”
He allowed himself one deep inhale of Eddy’s scent. “Thank you for today, Eddy. It was everything.”
“It means everything that you liked it.”

One tiptoeing up, one sweet, deep kiss followed by a few seconds of them just glancing at each other, at the wonder, the treasure they’d found. Brett swallowed the words down which were meant for some other time, gave him a nod and forced his arms to let go. 
“I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Eddy stuck one hand into his pocket and waved with the other, his content smile tired but very, very lovely. Brett blinked, saving this image on the harddrive of his soul. 
“See you tomorrow, Bretty mine.”
Brett sniggered and shook his head upon hearing the endearing nickname Eddy just gave him. 
“Sleep well.”
“You too.”

And as his eyes gazed at Eddy walking away in the direction of the con, violin case on his back and long legs slowly carrying him further down the road, Brett’s lips parted on their own accord and a quiet, almost toneless sentence was whispered lovingly into the night for no one’s ears but his own to hear.

“I love you, Eddy Chen.”

A/N: Hi guys, hope you're all doing well. I'm gonna be on some mountain today and since I'll be off the grid, the upload today's a bit earlier for once. Thanks so much for reading and have a good one!
Love, author-san