Andante

CXIII

It was the quietest trip back to the hotel yet, all four of them staring out of the windows silently, each of them lost in their own thoughts. 
"I will pick you guys up at eleven tomorrow." Scruffy Suit said, as he pulled up in front of the hotel. "Night night."
Eddy smiled at him from the back seat. "Thank you sir. Thank you for driving us this whole week."
"Sure thing, mate." Scruffy Suit drawled offhandedly, and he got out of the taxi. 

They all filed silently into the hotel and into the lift, the mood of the group heavy with the weight of this being the last night, a dark cloud seeming to hang over all four boys. 
"Well, good night, guys." Todd managed to say with a great smirk as he walked out of the lift and towards his and Ian's bedroom. He winked at Eddy. "You guys have fun, now."
Ian cracked up silently beside him, and Eddy rolled his eyes at the both of them. 
"Thank you, Todd." he said with emphasis, and he kicked his great friend lightly in the shins, earning him one of Todd's great rumbling belly laughs.
"Just telling it as it is, mate."
He was still cackling as he closed the door behind himself and Ian. 

Eddy followed Brett into their own room almost meekly. He was tired, he was bone tired after everything that had happened today, every emotion, every experience. So he turned Brett around as he put down his violin case and he buried his face in the crook of Brett's neck, his arms firmly around Brett's back. 
"Hey." Brett whispered. "You alright, my love?"
Eddy just nodded. 
"Are you tired?" Brett asked. "Or sad, because it's the last night?"
Eddy simply nodded again, and then he reluctantly let him go and went to sit on the bed. Brett immediately sat down next to him. 
"I'm sad it's the last night too." he said, and even though his tone was as deadpan as ever, Eddy could see right through to the emotion underneath. He put his arm around Brett's shoulders and took a deep breath. He was so sleepy, and all he wanted to do right now was to curl up next to his love and allow himself drift off in his arms, but he knew there was something he had to ask, something he had to know before they would head out and go home, and the moment would be gone. 
"Bretty, erm, I wanted to ask you, do you... do you wish we were out?"
Brett turned to him and cocked his head. 
"What, why?"
"This afternoon, what happened with Anna, I thought... I wondered... do you wish we were out?"

Brett stilled at the question. He looked down at his legs and he was quiet for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly, measuredly.
"Erm,... well... yeah, I guess in a way I do. I wish... I guess I wish we didn't have to hide anymore, I've always wanted to shout I've loved you from the rooftops. I would love for the whole world to know that you're mine."
Eddy sat quietly on the foot of the bed, his hand sqeezing Brett's thigh softly, waiting for Brett to continue. He wasn't sure what he was feeling, but he was happy that at least Brett was talking to him about this. 
"But look, I know it can't be like that yet, so don't worry about it. I'm just super happy with where we are, okay? And that's plenty, for now."
Eddy nodded, and he leaned his tired head on Brett's shoulder. 
"Well, I'm still sorry it can't be like that now."
He could sense Brett's wry smile without seeing it. 
"Just... Eddy, just know that I'll always be here to catch you if we fall."
Eddy looked up at him swiftly, hot tears suddenly pushing behind his eyes again. Wow. Bretty. Of all the lovely things to say, hey?
"That goes for the both of us, Brett. You know I'll always be here."
Brett smiled sweetly and then he got up and held out his hand. 
"Come on, my love. You need to brush your teeth and get into that bed. You look like you've been up for three days."
Eddy grinned. "I feel like I've been up for three days."
Brett pulled him to the bathroom and picked up his toothbrush for him, squirting some toothpaste on it, and Eddy felt his heart swell up with love. 
When had someone last put toothpaste on his toothbrush for him? When would he even have been okay with such a thing? It really was just the best thing in the world, to have someone to take care of him, to have someone to take care of. 

He gave his teeth a quick token brush and then he slid into the bed, putting his head on Brett's shoulder the second he joined him. 
And he would have done more, he would have kissed him, or repeated what they'd done the night before, maybe, but sleep pulled him under, lured him in, so his eyes closed and he drifted softly away on Brett's deep breaths.