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III. Vampire Academy

"I never realised the connection", Eddy mumbled on their second day on the road, studying the book again.

Just like Brett had done the previous week, he barely put it down.

"What?" Brett asked distracted, traffic being more busy because they were closer to a town they intended to drive through.

"St. Stradivarius. I should have seen it."

"Please be more clear, you know how bad I am with riddles."

Brett was changing the lane while Eddy shut the book and looked over to him.

"You were right, they do talk a lot about healing. It also talks a lot about his sparkling personality and how much people adored him."

It took a second to click.

"Compulsion", Brett finally said, "You think he used compulsion."

"Yeah. It makes a lot of sense, when you know what to look out for."

"Huh. Any other resemblances?"

He could feel Eddy shift next to him.

"What?" he asked, glancing over, realising Eddy was looking out of the window on purpose, thoughtful.

"Spit it out."

"Well", the other started, "there are some side notes about...his dark times."

"Dark times?"

"Ya, like, on this page", he opened the book again, "it says 'some days he was preaching and he was spreading happiness but there were days, days when the world seemed overwhelming, like a shadow, never lifting for the sun.'"

The words settled between them.

Quietly, Brett tapped on the steering wheel. Thinking.

"I think the two of you are very alike", he finally said.

"Yeah", Eddy agreed, clearing his throat.

And then Brett stretched his hand out and for one moment, Eddy looked at it confused before he grabbed it and Brett was interlacing their fingers. Carefully, he pulled their hands towards him, his eyes never leaving the road, and pressed a tender kiss on the back of Eddy's hand.

"At the same time you are not him. You are your own person. Just because you are alike doesn't mean you are the same."

He kept on holding Eddy's hand in his lap. A wave of love washed over him and it created a pleasant buzz in his tummy.

"Thank you for saying that", Eddy whispered and he gave their intertwined hands an additional squeeze.

All his life, people had expectations of him for being royal, being a Moroi and being the last of his line. Brett never did though.

"You make me happy too", Brett simply said, responding to the emotions that he was basically bathed in now. He could feel the pleasant buzz that was settling into Eddy's tummy for that comment as well.

For whatever reason, he kept on touching Eddy for the rest of the drive. Taking his hand, stroking his neck, tapping on his thigh.

It calmed him to know that the other was by his side and even though he could physically see that, it reassured him to feel it as well.

They drove endlessly on that day, Brett wanting to be as far away from the academy in one go as possible. Eventually, Eddy needed to take over driving, Brett's eyes nearly seeing double.

That was okay for Eddy.

He actually quite enjoyed it. The roads were empty at 2am, so it was easy to drive. Brett snoring softly next to him in the passenger seat caused absolute delight. Eddy didn't dare to touch him the way Brett had done to him earlier because the other basically had spiderman-like senses and would get in combat mode within seconds. Which was definitely not what Eddy wanted.