Andante

CXXI

Oh, but Eddy could get used to this. His arms were around his love, Brett's back pressing them into the door, and his lips were on Brett's, kissing him softly and then kissing him with all his might until all the pain, all the angst flowed out of his system and they were both breathless. 
They finally let go of each other then, and Brett's eyes were shiny, the redness from the crying almost completely gone from his complexion now. 
"Better?" Eddy whispered in his ear, his body still pressing against Brett's in the best way. 
"So. Much. Better." Brett whispered back, and Eddy could feel as well as hear his sigh. 
He figured it was a good kind of sigh. 
"So. Have we pushed our luck enough here for one day?" he breathed then. "Bubble tea?"
Brett grinned. "Yes. Original bubble tea, just like it's meant to be."
They left the door alone, Brett splashed a little water in his face and then they walked down the stairs. 

"So...." Eddy hesitated as they walked along the pavement side by side a few minutes later, not really wanting to pry into another bloke's private life even with Brett, "Do you have any idea what's actually going on with Ian? He looked pretty upset to be leaving, but he never really said anything about it."
Brett was quiet for a long moment, and Eddy knew he was deliberating what he'd just asked him. Brett was thoughtful like that. He wouldn't just rush into a conclusion. 
"I was wondering about that yesterday." he said then. "Especially his reaction on the plane."
Eddy nodded. "Yeah, that's exactly what made me wonder too. And he was so sad to be leaving."
Brett turned to him slightly.
"Hm, so what do we do? Do you think we should talk to Todd? He seems to know him best?"
"I don't know." Eddy said. "I'm a bit uncomfortable asking someone beside himself. But I also don't want to make it worse for him, if you know what I mean?"
Brett nodded. "Yeah. I do know what you mean. Hm. Maybe you can send him a message? Like, a carefully neutral one that leaves him space to talk, or not if he doesn't want to?"
Of course. Trust Brett to come up with a great idea, one that really he should have thought of himself. 
"Good idea. I'll try that, Bretty." he said softly as they turned into the Bubble tea shop. 

They sat down opposite each other with their teas, like they had a million times before, even the table was the same. But Eddy knew that everything was different now. It was different for him, and he knew that it was different for Brett too. He smiled at him encouragingly and he put his foot right up against Brett's underneath their regular table. 
Brett looked around him quickly and then he cast his eyes down, looking at his hands on the wood. 
"I know you won't agree, Eddy, but I'm still sorry I lost it like that, earlier." he said so quietly Eddy could barely hear him. 
Oh no. Bretty. 
Eddy wanted to take his hand so, so badly, so he could make it all better, but he knew he shouldn't. So he just brushed it softly with his fingers as he was reaching for his bubble tea cup. 
"Don't say that, Brett." he said then, just as quietly. "I'm just happy you shared it with me. Look, if you're going to cry..." he looked around swiftly to make sure no one was close enough to overhear, "If you're going to cry I'd much rather you do it with me, so I can hold you, so I can kiss it better. Okay?"
Brett looked up from his hands, his beautiful koala eyes on him now, and Eddy could see the depth of emotion in them, he could see the tears that weren't that far down. But Brett's smile was real. 
"Okay." Brett said at last. "But please, that goes for both of us, okay?"
"Okay."