Denial - a Breddy fanfic

35.

Mr Gardner was an understanding conductor. He saw Eddy's worried look and took him aside way before he had said as much as a word.
"I feel something's up with your friend, that mr Yang", he had said in a kind voice, once they were no longer in hearing range of the orchestra. "Take the rest of the day off and come back strong tomorrow."
Eddy had pleaded with him to say to the orchestra that it was Eddy who felt sick or something, as to not draw attention to Brett, and mr Gardner agreed, even though he was certain the musicians would only want the best for him. "They're very understanding people, you know."

Now they were walking around a small pond located in the city centre. It was very geometrically shaped, and Eddy wondered if it was completely man made or if they had just shaped an already existing pond. He looked at the beautifully planted flowers around the pond, the fountain in the middle of it, and how the clouds formed in the distance. It was nice to be out in the air, but he didn't know what to say to Brett, who was walking beside him and seemingly not taking in any of the beautiful sights they were passing.
"Do you want to go back to the hotel?" Eddy asked him carefully, as they walked past a row of benches. He eyed up the tired looking man he loved, desperate for a clue of what could possibly help him. All he wanted right now was for Brett to be okay.

Brett shook his head. He didn't really feel like being in a confined space with Eddy right there and then, but he couldn't find a good reason he could give Eddy to be left alone either. Everything he could feel felt all wrong. He felt angry, he felt sad, he felt sick. He felt like he was about to puke any second, but he knew that wasn't the case. He forced himself to look at the pond Eddy had studied just seconds before.
Wonder how it would feel to drown? Just curious...
He vinced slightly at the voice. No! He didn't want to know how it would feel, it would probably feel awful!
"Bretty?" Eddy asked before grabbing his hand, having noticed the distress in Brett's eyes. He squeezed his hand to comfort him and tried to get eye contact with him. "What do you need? Let me help you."
Brett thought it was nice that Eddy just knew he needed something. They had been best friends for so long, he could just tell when something was off. They were so in sync, so in tune with each other that the slightest change could be picked up by the other. He wondered how long Eddy must have known something was up before he figured out the truth - that he had a crush on him. It must have been obvious to Eddy, and Brett really had believed he could lie to him.
"I don't know what I need", he mumbled back, feeling Eddy's thumb stroking the back of his hand. "I... I'm sorry..."
"Shhh, Brett", Eddy said, pulling him into a tight hug. "Don't be sorry, you have nothing to apologize for. Shh..." Brett knew that this was what he needed right there and then, even though tears were flowing down his cheek. A nice, warm hug from Eddy under a large tree in a park in Bergen city centre.

The hug had lasted forever, or so it felt to Brett, and the clouds that had previously formed in the distance was now raining down on them. Eddy had lead the way back to the hotel, figuring it would be best for them to just talk and relax. They were both dripping wet as they entered the small apartment like hotel room.
Eddy helped Brett out of his dripping wet coat and carefully hang it to dry. He followed Brett into the room, and got him out of the soaked shirt. Brett shivered slightly from the cold air hitting his bare, moist skin, but just stood there and let Eddy undress him.
"Which drawer did you put your sweaters in?" Eddy asked while looking through the drawers, finding no sweaters. He checked the top drawer again, but was interrupted by Brett's low voice.
"S...suitcase... no room..." His voice was weak, and Eddy's heart broke for him. He looked through the sweaters Brett had brought, but they were all the slim fit kind. Eddy decided against it and chose one of his own sweaters instead, knowing they would be a loose fit on the smaller man.
"Borrow this", he said, and helped the smaller man into the way too large sweater. He helped him out of his wet jeans and into a pair of sweatpants. The second he was dressed again, Brett laid down in the bed. Eddy began changing into something dry himself. Brett held his arms out towards Eddy, shaking lightly, and Eddy immediately responed by crawling into bed with him.
"Shh, I'm here" he whispered as he wrapped his long arms around him, letting him rest his head against his chest. He could only hope it would help, because he felt like nothing he did would make it better for Brett.