Saving Eddy

9

Scars. Scars. Scars.

I'm already looking at it but I can't believe my eyes. Eddy is still asleep from this afternoon's events, face down with one leg draped over a pillow. Lines parallel to each other peeks from his groin to the upper part of his inner thighs, some have almost faded, some still has angry red marks.

Eddy didn't have stretch marks when we were younger. I put on my glasses and took a really good look at it and found that those were scars. Doesn't really look that old really and some are so fresh it was still reddish in color.

"Why did you do it Eddy?" I whispered as I lie down and hugged him and rubbed the skin on his scar covered thighs.

"Mmm?" Eddy stirred from his slumber.

"Nothing babe. It's half eight now. Do you wanna go and get some dinner?"

*************************************************

One night, Eddy and I were watching Netflix on his laptop.

"Brett, can I borrow your laptop? Janelle sent me some work email and designs I want to check and revise."

I handed him my laptop which was sitting on my bedside table.

"Ugh, Brett. Why do you have this on your autocomplete?" Eddy turned my laptop to me revealing some resources I've visited online about self-harm and cutting.

"Babe, I saw the scars." His face visibly paled.

"Why didn't you tell me you saw them? When did you even see them?"

"I wanted to make sure I won't offend you. I had to do some research on how to approach the topic. But since you've opened it, I'm dying to talk about it. Are you ready?"

"I- it started when you almost died. I was so tired and sleepy but I had to stay awake and wait for you for days in the hospital. I was petrified with fear of losing you and losing you because of me."

"There were a lot, Eddy."

"You were there a lot of days, Brett."

"There were new ones as well. They are still angry red. When and why did you do it?"

"The day I thought you left."

"Oh damn, Eddy. I won't ever leave you."

"I know that now Brett."

"I love you so much, don't hurt yourself. Stop hurting the person I love most in this world, you're gonna hurt me too."

"I'm sorry Brett."

"I'm sorry I didn't pay close enough attention to notice it sooner."

"No. Don't think that. I hid it pretty well."

"Do you think you can stop it? We can go to therapy!"

"There are huge positive changes these past few days that I think would impact my tendency to cut. Let's see first, okay?"

We never did go to therapy.

Yes, there were ups and downs in our relationship. Mostly stress, but we both figured that knowing that your partner is always your best ally and supporter against the stress, deadlines, problems, against the world and even sometimes against each other. If you trust and believe that your partner and lover always has your best interest at heart, you would never hurt again.

We don't know yet where the future will bring us. But with the ring I tightly held in my pocket, I sure damn well know where I want us to be.

It was the end of our 3rd world tour. All sold out shows. At some locations, we had to switch to bigger venues to accommodate the demand.

It was one of our crowd favorite skits that we just had to incorporate into our new shows. It was that of Tchaikovsky proposing to Sergey.

So the scene was set, I was at the other side of the stage waiting for Eddy as Tchaikovsky to "propose" to me, "Sergey" with a banana. What he doesn't know is that I will be proposing to him with a real ring.

He comes sauntering from the wing, "Oh Sergey! Sergey, my love!" He calls out.

I walked towards him to meet him at the center. "Oh Poytr, I have something to tell you..."

I kneel down...

"WTF bro. Stand up." He whispers.

"Oh Sergey, you silly person! Stand up so I can kneel before you.."

"Eddy Chen-" I start.

"Who is this Eddy?! I am Poytr, your lover!" He announces to me and to the audience.

"Eddy Chen," I repeated more firmly as I pull out the ring box that has been in my pocket for the whole show.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" His face in disbelief. My life would've shattered right there and then if he hadn't knelt before me as well.

He pulled out the plushie banana he was supposed to give me for the skit, he peeled it open and pulled a ring out of it.

"Brett Yang, my savior, my partner..."

"Eddy Chen, my better half, my love..."

"Will you marry me?" We said in unison.

The crowd cheers. Damn, I forgot about them. We awkwardly hugged each other on the floor of the stage. Our pianist and the audience all on their feet applauding us.

We took each other's ring and wore it. Waving and showing off our rings to the crowd. Eddy hugs me and kisses my forehead.

"I love you so much." We said in unison.

The End.