15. Ballade

                                    

                                          
After a month of living together, the boys were starting to get used to each other's constant presence.
                          
They have spent a lot of days and nights together as they grew up, but this was the first time, that there was no date for one of them to leave. They could stay like this forever.

Eddy tried to call his mother from time to time. But as soon as she  heared his voice, she hanged up. After some weeks, Eddy stopped calling.
Belle helped him bringing some of the stuff he have left on his mother's house. 

So, the presence of the other at home, was one of the few things that bring him actual joy to his days.

The first weeks were all about touching. All the contained desire was released, finally. At lest for Brett, because he keep on winning the ‘scissors, paper, rock’ game. Every time.

“I don't mind”, Eddy admitted after a couple of weeks. “Practice, leads to perfection”, he giggled blushing, making Brett blush even harder. 

It truly didn't mind. This has been a 10 year wait to finally being able to touch the one he loved. So only being able to touch his skin, was a wave of absolute pleasure for Eddy.
Any other thing, wasn't important. 

By the other hand, Brett is fascinated by Eddy's constant presence. He loves watching him while he walks half naked across the room looking for his lost sock, once again. 

He loves hearing him humming some melody, while brushing his teeth on the morning, and how he always scratches his nose after telling something really serious. He loves watching him oversleeping every morning, after the alarm is off, and how quickly he would go from moody to total happiness after just taking shower.

Most of all, Brett loved the way Eddy's clothes always ended up getting lost inside the wardroom. He loves finding them mixed up with his own. Their scents starting  to mix up in a new one, that Brett treasured every time he did laundry. 

He realised, there was little new things he could get to know about him. After all, they knew each other for so long, have worked together so many days and nights, and travelled around the world together.
                          
Still, he discovered there was way too many new things left to love as time goes by, being side by side. 

So, that afternoon after doing laundry, when Eddy suggested to leave and rent an apartment by his own, he could hear his own heart breaking. 

“But, why?”, Brett complained, “No! I don't want you to leave...”

                          
Eddy’s firm words, weakened watching Brett's face breaking in pain. “Yes, but...what about the money?”, he asked folding Brett's red socks. 

“We split everything”, Brett pointed out. “We always do. We always will”, he added looking straight in to Eddy's eyes, and handing him over a blue cotton sweater to be fold. His tone was firm. 

“I know”, Eddy whispered taking it off his hands softly.
                          
“It's just that...I feel like I'm pushing things like this, you know? We just cleared out or feelings, and started dating. Isn't it living together...too soon for a good relationship?”, he said as he was trying to fold the sweater, but as his mind was in another place, instead he was making a mess of it. 

“Let me”, Brett push him gently taking him by the shoulder. Their fingers brushed softly as Brett took the sweater back.

“Eddy, we are not just a couple. You are my best friend”, he said while folding the sweater in a quick movement, and then giving it back to Eddy with a smile.

Eddy stared at his smiling face, and took the sweater from Brett's hand, touching them softly. He felt all of his willing and arguments falling down and being replaced with a calm that only Brett could construct around him. This battle was almost lost for him. 

“I’m happy with you here. So much....I find really hard to admit it without feeling totally useless”

                          
He took Eddy's grey blazer and started folding it with dexterity. Eddy could only stared at his fingers. Folding, ironing, cleaning: Brett loved those. Why would he wanted someone to destroy the harmonious home he had built by himself? 

“But I'm so messy”, Eddy mumbled hugging the folded sweater, maybe way too hard, so it was all messed up again. 

Brett stared at him.

“Oh, you are”, he said after a pause, smiling and hanging him the blazer, while taking him off the sweater to fold it over again. 

“You are a sweet mess, Eddy”, he whispered kissing him on the cheek. “My house is thankful for you bringing all your sweet disaster here, love”, he leave the folded sweater on the bed and took Eddy's face between his hands. “And I am as well”, he said kissing him on the lips.

The sweet gesture make Eddy squizze the blazer between his hands again.

“Are you sure?”, said Eddy trying to hold back his tears. He was so happy. This is not a moment to cry. 

“Oh, yes”, Brett added kissing him again, more deeply this time. A tear felt down from Eddy's eyes as he smiled.

“Me too”, he whispered, placing his wrinkled blazer next to Brett's blue sweater, smiling, feeling a warm sweet light surrounding his heart. 

                          



After finishing laundry, Brett remembered finding out on Facebook about a new coffee shop near his apartment.
                          
He didn't have to say it twice. 

However, it was Sunday, and a lot of chores was yet to be done before leaving. Eddy was left in charge of the dishes, while Brett vacuum the carpet, and change the sheets on the bed. While placing the pillows back, he found out another lost sock from Eddy, and smiled. 

                          


They leaved the house at late afternoon. It was cold. Both of them, were covered in black coats and matching scarfs. A blue one for Brett. A red one for Eddy.
They walked down the street holding hands and chatting about some ideas for the next video, as tomorrow was recording day.

“I think we should bring charades back, don't you?”, Eddy finally suggested, after a couple of minutes of bringing some interesting, yet weird ideas.
“It's been a looooong time since the last one”

Brett took a moment to watch Eddy's sparkling eyes in excitement as he speak. “Of course, babe”, Brett answered. “It’ll be fun to play, we need a bit of that”, he added squizzing Eddy's warm hand. 

“Hey, Eddy”, Brett asked with a sweet voice. “Mmh?”, Eddy answered smiling. He loved that voice Brett make when he was in a good mood. 

“So...my mom invited us to dinner”, he let out nervously. Eddy stopped walking in shock and turned to see Brett’s face. He felt a shiver running down his spine. 

“Oh”, Eddy answered, and started walking again, “You told her?”, he asked back, trying to calm down.

“Yes”, Brett said firmly. “She knows everything”, he added smiling.
                          
“The date is open, but as we might as well spend Christmas with them, it would be nice going for a visit before that date, don't you think?”, he smiled and added, “They love seeing you, anyway. Even more than seeing myself”, he giggled. 

Eddy felt happy. He loved Brett's mom, and was so relieved she was different from his mom.
                          
Although, the memory from his mother made his heart shrink in pain. Brett read his face and knew what he was thinking, and squizzed his hand strongly.
                          
Eddy just nodded as an answer.  

They smile to each other, and turn in the corner to find the new coffee shop.
                          
It was a vintage building, with a beautiful wood door and antique decoration. 

As soon as they opened the door, the sweetness and warm of the coffee lifted their spirits up. 

“Good afternoon!”, a young asian man welcomed them from the coffee bar making a reverence. Eddy and Brett returned the greeting and walked in. 

The coffee boy, was really tall. Even taller than Eddy. His hair had a yellowish blond tone, and his chin and cheeks were delicate and feminine.
                          
Both, Brett and Eddy stared at him when he handed the menu for them. They felt as if they were talking to a k-pop star. 

                          
But when the boy watched Eddy's face, he let out a gasp that made the boys jump in surprise.

                          
“Eddy?”, he screamed staring at his eyes, who were trying to remember who this guy was. 

No clue, though. 

“Yes?”, he answered confused, looking for Brett's support with the eyes. 

“Do you guys know each other?”, Brett said taking Eddy from the shoulder and staring at the blond guy annoyed.
Eddy said no with the head, but he guy nodded energetically. 

“I’m sorry”, Eddy begun, “What’s your name?”, he asked confused.

The blond guy let out a big smile in response. He haven't stopped looking at Eddy's eyes, making Brett feeling really uncomfortable. Almost...angry. 

“Oh, my. I’m sorry”, he said laughing embarrassed. Even his voice was soft and sweet as a girl's one. He brushed his hair between his fingers and smile.

“My name is James”, he finally said. And Eddy's eyes opened wide.
                          
“You remember me, Eddy?”