Andante con Brio

XXVII

"When is our anniversary?"
Brett's soft question took Eddy by surprise. They were still lying on the bed, Brett's back to Eddy's front, his head resting softly on Eddy's upper right arm, Eddy's left arm snaking around to his chest. But they would have to get up soon, Eddy knew. Take-out would be here in like five minutes, and his stomach grumbled softly in anticipation. 
"Ehm, that's a good question."
When was their anniversary? What could they possibly take? Their first guilt-ridden kiss, which happened kind of by accident when they had only just met? That seemed too soon. AYO, months later? Where they kissed for real? Where they gave in to their feelings at last, only to have to go back in the closet when they went back home? Or maybe the concert trip to Perth, way later, when they decided they would stay together no matter what? 
"I know, right? I was thinking maybe when we were at camp. I mean, that's when we were first like..."
Eddy nodded against the back of Brett's head. His soft black hair tickled his nose slightly. 
"Yeah."
Brett grinned softly. 
"Do you remember what happened?"
Eddy cringed, because somehow he knew at once what Brett was talking about. And even though Brett had seen him in all sorts of situations since, that particular memory was still awkward. 
"You mean my wet dream, when we were bunking at AYO."
Brett turned around on the bed and put his head on the pillow. Something in Eddy's tone must have tipped him off, because his face was kind, open. Calm. 
"You still embarrassed by that?"
Eddy rolled his eyes before he could stop himself. 
"Yeah, it was pretty fucking embarrassing."
Brett's eyes took on a dreamy glint. 
"It really wasn't, though, Eddy. I had been awake, you know, watching you sleep. I remember feeling a bit guilty about looking at you like that, but I was so in love with you already. I could have lain there and watched you all night. And then you suddenly said my name, so softly, but it had meaning, you know? And then you were breathing heavily and it dawned on me what was happening."
Eddy just blinked. He had never really considered what that scene had looked like on the other side of things. 
"To see that, and to be pretty sure you had been thinking about me, well, Eddy, it didn't just make my day, it made my year."
Eddy looked down. Brett's white shirt was a bit crinkly now from lying down.
"Wow. That's... wow. I mean, to me that memory had always just been really awkward, even if your reaction was so perfect. Even if your reaction made me accept a whole bunch of things and made them better. I had always felt so fucking guilty about feeling the way I did, until that music camp."
Brett nodded. "Yeah, I know. And I guess in convincing you, maybe I convinced myself too? It meant the world to me, Eddy. And then later, when you said it had been a good dream... I couldn't believe how lucky I was. So, January? Or Perth?"
Eddy kissed him once, softly on the nose. 
"So, you've decided you want an anniversary?"
"Yeah. I do. If that's good with you. Just... I want to celebrate.... us. And, well, we don't really have one starting date."
Eddy shrugged. 
"Well. If you want to know when you had my heart? You had that from day one."
Brett's eyes softened and he blinked a few times, very rapidly. 
"Wow."
"But AYO was when I knew this was forever. So how about January tenth? It's a nice and symmetrical?"
Brett grinned suddenly. "You know, for someone who is going to music college you are very nerdy."
He kissed him quickly as the bell rang downstairs, and he jumped up. He turned around as he was already by the door. 
"January tenth, hey? I like it."

Eddy shook his head a couple of times as he sat up. Whoa. This had been a bit of a game changer. How often had he not agonised over that morning, still embarrassed years after the event? How different could things look, when you saw them from another perspective? 
And now he had an anniversary?
He liked that. He liked that a lot. 
He got up quickly and ran down the stairs, after his boyfriend.