All in the name of

2. End of shift

Brett remembered the young and cute Asian boy who told him that he'd just turned 18 and ordered his first beer at the bar where Brett worked as a bartender. Brett was not, however, expecting to see this boy, Eddy, alone, in the backstreet of the pub.

It was late. Brett had just come out from the backdoor of the pub to dispose of the rubbish when we noticed Eddy was sitting on the steps of a backdoor of the building across from where Brett was, his face buried in his arms as he sat hugging his knees.

"...Eddy? OMG are you alright?"

Alarmed, Brett stepped over the smaller bins and quickly approached Eddy and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Eddy slowly looked up.

"...Brett?"

"Yeah. What's the matter? How long have you been out here for?"

"How.. did you know it was me..?"

"I'm not sure Eddy, I just kinda knew. Hey.. how long have you been out here for?"

Brett's hand had brushed against Eddy's cheek and Brett was taken aback when he felt how cold it was.

"Eddy? Where are all your friends?"

"..I said I needed to go to the bathroom..then I texted them to tell them that I was heading home..."

"But it was your birthday wasn't it? What's the matter? Are you sick or hurt ??"

Eddy shook his head.

"Good. Look, Eddy.. wait for me okay? Just let me sign off. Will you wait for me here ? Please?"

Eddy slowly nodded.

"..Actually, this ally can be a bit dodgy.. come inside with me instead okay? C'mon."

Brett encouraged Eddy to stand up but Eddy remained sitting on the steps.

"Eddy..? Are you sure you're not unwell?"

Eddy nodded his head.

"Okay well, then you're getting up and coming inside with me. I'm gonna help you up. Here goes.."

Brett gently wrapped his arm around Eddy and helped him get up. Eddy didn't resist and the encouragement he got from Brett seemed enough to finally get him to stand up.

"Whoa, you're a tall boy."

Eddy finally let out a little smile.

"I'm not that much taller than you..."

"Are you kidding? I'd kill to be as tall as you. C'mon, let's get inside."

Knowing now that Eddy wasn't drunk, sick nor injured, Brett thought Eddy could walk on his own but he felt Eddy's arm over his shoulders and so he kept supporting him as they went back inside.

"That way is the bar. Do you need to visit the bathroom before we go? I just need to sign off in the office at the back, I'll see you in front of the bar, okay? I'll be like 2 minutes."

"No.. wait... Brett..."

"What..?"

Brett was taken aback when he was pulled in for a hug. Eddy let out a sigh.

"Brett, is this bad?"

"Um.. no, it's actually kinda nice..?"

"...is this.. wrong?"

"Eddy?"

"Brett, is this wrong?"

"F*ck no. Did anyone say it was ?"

Eddy let out another sigh and Brett felt the embrace tighten.

"It got a bit awkward when I was drinking with my friends... they've been trying to set me up with a friend of mine.. this girl that was sitting next to me."

"Uhuh."

"We've been friends for months.. since we met at uni.."

"Oookay..?"

"And we've been happy to hug and cuddle and stuff but then they told us to show them us kissing and..."

"..and?"

"... I started to feel unwell... I blamed it on the beer and left the table to go to the bathroom and went outside.."

"Oh."

"I feel happier hugging you."

"...there's actually nothing wrong with that."

"I've never told anyone."

"Oh.. well then I can understand that must have been difficult."

"Yeah..."

Brett heard a soft sob.

"Hey, just sit here, okay?

"Okay.."

Eddy finally slowly pulled away from Brett. Brett felt Eddy's hands lingering on his shoulders, his reluctance of letting go of him.

Brett gently pushed Eddy down to sit on the stool nearby then looked into his eyes;

"Eddy, I'll be real quick. Just 2 minutes, okay?"

Eddy nodded as he sniffled.

Brett took some quick steps down the narrow corridor and went into the office. He quickly signed off for his shift on the clipboard placed on the office desk and turned off the lights as he left the office. He heard a voice cry out.

"Eddy?! Sorry, I forgot to tell you not to freak out, that was just me, I turned off the lights..!!"

"Where are you..???"

Brett had thought it wasn't much of a big deal, the outside streetlights were bright enough to come through the front part of the pub so they weren't in complete darkness. It was just a little dark in the narrow corridor. Brett was able to see the tall silhouette of Eddy.

"I'm just coming back towards you now. I can see you."

"Okay.. I just can't see you though.."

"The light's coming from behind you so it's harder to see anything from where you are, don't try to walk this way, I don't want you to trip over anything. I'm almost there..."

Brett gently held Eddy's extended hand.

"Hey, see, I'm right here."

"Brett..!"

Brett almost toppled over when Eddy stepped in for another hug.