Andante

CLXXII

Eddy had managed to get himself out of the weird dancing without raising any suspicion, he thought, but he hovered close to Brett after that, like a sentinel, without ever getting so close again that Brett might disclose something about them that they didn't want to disclose. So he saw the wobble that no one else saw. And then Brett looked around him, moving his whole head, and wobbled again. Eddy stepped forward. 
"Hey. You okay?"
"Ss....ssure." Brett slurred. "Just... just need the toilet."
Eddy nodded. 
"I'll take you, come on."
He had no idea how this might look to anyone on the outside. Guys didn't go to the toilet together. But... well... Brett was clearly drunk now, as were quite a few of the rest of the kids. Even Ian had had a few beers and Eddy been watching him and Lily out of the corner of his eye, on and off. He was getting the feeling he might be talking to her a little more seriously now. They were still sitting together, chatting animatedly in the little group of chairs he had left to warn Brett to stop drinking. He hadn't dared to go back and sit with them though. He was too worried about Brett to do that. 
As they started walking through the crowd of kids, away from the party, he realised just how drunk Brett was. He was wobbling ominously again and these tiles were hard, man. So Eddy took his arm to steady him, just making sure he didn't have a very sudden and unwanted encounter with them. They walked slowly past the little gazebo, where two kids from Brett's school were snogging passionately. Eddy eyed them with irked disinterest. 
Well. Great for them, that they could sit and snog in public. He rolled his eyes and put his focus back on Brett. 
Suddenly Brett stopped, and he breathed in sharply. 
"Oh shit, Eddy, I'm gonna..." 

Brett didn't need to finish his sentence, it was clear in his hazy eyes, in the little sheen of sweat that had appeared on his ashen face. Eddy reacted with lightening speed and steered Brett to the bushes behind the rail at the edge of the garden. Eddy could feel the movement under his arm and he averted his eyes quickly as Brett heaved. This he so did not need to see, but Brett was clearly very ill as he bent over double over the rail and heaved again and again into the bushes. He put his arm on Brett's back and stroked his shoulders softly. 
"It's okay." he whispered. "It's okay."
He turned around to see a couple of the kids staring at them. He shrugged apologetically and turned back again. They could think of the stroking what they wanted, really. And he felt a pang of sadness, because he knew this would be talked about, on Monday, when Brett would have to go to school and face this. Would they think Brett was a tough guy, for getting drunk? Or would they think he was a whimp for getting sick like this? Thank God they had agreed to crash at Steven's after the party and his parents at least wouldn't see him in this state. He might never actually be allowed out of the house again if they would.  
Eventually Brett seemed to have puked himself out and he sat down abruptly on the cool stones, almost pulling Eddy down with him. Eddy sat down too, far enough away that they wouldn't  draw the wrong kind of attention to themselves, and eyed him somberly. 
"How are you feeling?"
Brett groaned. He still looked very drunk. 
"I'm an idiot. I'm such an idiot, and I'm never ever drinking again."
 Eddy grinned softly. 
"You say that now."

Suddenly Brett wobbled again, even though he was sitting down now. 
Shit! He really, really did not need Brett passing out right here on the stones. He narrowed his eyes appraisingly and made an executive decision. 
"Okay. Let's get you to bed."
Brett looked up and opened his mouth, Eddy guessed to protest, but then he closed it again and looked up, behind Eddy. 
"Hey! You guys okay?"
Eddy turned around. It was Steven, and Todd and the guy he came with were right behind him. 
"Steven!" he said in a rush, not able to stop the relief in his voice. "God, you could not have come at a better time. I think we need to get him in bed, to be honest."
Steven nodded. He had clearly had a few drinks himself, but he wasn't nearly as far gone. His nose wrinkled in distaste when he glanced over to the bushes where Brett had hung over the rail. 
"Okay then, let's go, tough guy." he said, and he put his arms under Brett's armpits to pull him up. Todd stepped forward too, draped one of Brett's arms over his shoulders, and they started towards the house. 

Tough guy, hey?
Eddy followed the little group meekly. Yeah. That was easy for him to fucking say, wasn't it? Eddy was very well aware who had put that first beer into Brett's hand, and suddenly he could have shouted at their friend. But he held his tongue. Steven hadn't forced Brett, had he? And now he was helping him. But still... he certainly hadn't stopped him from going to far, either.
Just like he hadn't... well... not on time, anyway.