Closer 2

18.

Eddy was asleep. Elise was asleep. He also assumed Belle was asleep, as the house was all quiet. It would be fine, he could go out quickly and maybe even be back before anyone realized he was gone.

He slowly got out of bed and grabbed the shorts he had been wearing the day before before going to his suitcase to find himself a new sweater to replace the bloody one. His head only hurt a bit and the nausea was mostly gone by now. It would be fine.

Eddy snored slightly and Brett turned quickly to check he hadn't woken up. Thankfully he hadn't. Less thankfully, this made him dizzy. He leaned on the wall next to him to stop himself from falling.

Once the dizziness calmed down after a few minutes, he got a pair of socks on and sneaked out of the room to go get his shoes on. He froze when the bedroom door shut a bit harder than he intended, waiting for the sound of Eddy stirring awake.

The sound he did hear, however, made him hurry to get his shoes on because it meant he had a chance. Eddy would take their crying daughter out if her crib first before realizing he was gone.

He tried to quickly tie his shoes up, but the nausea from being bent over like that was too much. Tears were pressing on as he slowly realized he wouldn't make it out to a run and that Eddy would find him there. Eddy would be so disappointed because he didn't understand that he was doing this for him.

The nausea forced him to sit down on the floor and put his head in his hands. Tears flowed freely when Eddy opened the bedroom door, and even more when Eddy put Elise down on her playmat to come hold him.

"Bretty mine, what are you doing?" Eddy asked worriedly, trying to wipe his tears with his thumb. Brett didn't know what to reply, really. He knew lying wouldn't work, but telling would only make him worry.

"I'm sorry," he whispered instead, letting Eddy hold his head carefully against his chest. "I was gonna run, but... I know I shouldn't, I just..."

"Shh it's okay, love, it's okay," Eddy whispered, hugging him tighter. "Don't worry about it, I'm just glad you're okay. Please, if you do feel like you have to go for a run, talk to me instead. We can go run together or figure something else out, but you're not in shape to run right now. Please."

"Okay," Brett sniffled, hugging Eddy tightly. He felt like a child being told what he could and couldn't do. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay baby, I just wish you knew you're already perfect," Eddy whispered, rocking them slowly back and forth.

Elise had sat up to watch them, tears rolling down her cheeks from seeing her baba cry, which only made Brett feel more guilty once he spotted it.

"Oh baby girl, don't cry, please," he whispered, scooting himself out of Eddy's arms and over to where she was sitting to lift her into his lap. "It's okay, baby."

Elise reached up to Brett's cheek, but Brett held it gently and kissed it instead.
"It's okay, baby, I'm sorry I made you sad," he whispered, rocking them back and forth like Eddy had with him. "It's gonna be okay."