Minor Changes

Chapter Eleven

The sun was getting lower in the sky. Eddy's stomach rumbled. The only thing that sounded remotely appetizing was noodles, so he gathered his things and walked to a nearby restaurant. He ate slowly and deliberately, letting each bite settle in his cheeks before swallowing.

A full stomach gave him enough willpower to turn on his phone, which was burning a hole in his pocket. The screen lit up with an unread text from two hours ago.

Brett: The exterminator has come and gone. The roaches are all dead. You can come home now.

A snort escaped his nose. Goddamn you, Brett, he muttered.

Another banner lit the screen.

Brett: Please. The place never looked better.

Eddy's fingers caved reflexively.

Eddy: Be there in 20.

When he arrived, he stood at the door, aware that he looked like a trainwreck.  At this point, though, he was too deflated to care.

While his key was still in the lock, the door swung open.

"Hey, man," Brett said with a shy, sheepish smile. He noticed that Eddy's eyes were slightly puffy and red.

Unable to meet Brett's eye, Eddy set his gym bag by the door and gave the flat a once over. It was true—the place was immaculate.

"Glad you're back. I got that one wine you like. Care for a glass?"

"Uh, sure," Eddy said, figuring he'd take the consolation prize over awkward defeat.

"It's just there, in the kitchen," Brett said, pursing his lips in the direction of the counter.

Eddy took out a wine glass and opened the drawer where they kept the corkscrew. Attached to the corkscrew, he found a small envelope.

He opened it with his back facing toward Brett. Inside was an ancient photo of he and Brett at uni, standing back to back, looking gawky and clueless. 

 There was also a small, warped piece of lined paper that, to his horror, looked very familiar. His heart began to palpitate as he turned to Brett, who shrugged helplessly.

Eddy's hands trembled as he unfolded the paper. Beneath his own script, in Brett's wide scrawl, he read:

I'm sorry, too. Can we start over?

Eddy looked up, eyes twinkling with tears. A radiant smile began at the corners of his mouth and spread all the way to the corners of his eyes. 

Brett got up from his seat. He searched his friend's eyes. Eyes he had known for so many years. Eyes that had shared so many sights with him, the world over. Eyes now laid completely bare before him.

Wordlessly, tenderly, he wrapped his arms around Eddy and pulled him close. He breathed deeply into his neck and felt the taller man release a shuddering exhale as he melted into his arms. They stood that way for several moments, Eddy's chest quaking softly with tears.

***

Brett brought his hand to rest on Eddy's chest, basking in the thrum of his powerful heartbeat under his fingers. He would have happily levitated in that otherworldly dimension forever.

The taller boy shifted to wipe the tears from his face, then snuggly fit his arm back into place. He tilted his head down so that their noses and foreheads touched. Their eyes fell shut. Their bodies and mouths were impossibly close.

Brett's heart was racing so furiously that he felt certain it would burst, but he spoke low and soft.

"I love you, Eddy."

As he spoke, his lips grazed his friend's. He felt a very slight twitch from below Eddy's belt.

He parted his lips and carefully took Eddy's moist upper lip in his. It was the most tender thing he had ever tasted.

"Brett—" Eddy inhaled, or rather, prayed through his teeth.

Brett answered by parting his lips further, inviting Eddy to do the same. Eddy opened his lips slightly, allowing the smaller man to press in deeper. There was a spicy sweetness on Eddy's tongue, and Brett immediately wanted to taste it more. He took the back of the taller boy's head in his hand and drew him in firmly, so that they teetered on the edge of oblivion.

They opened their lips more fully, exploring the wet warmth of each other's mouths. As they became more entwined, Eddy let out a whimper that made the hairs on Brett's arm stand on end. He rested his hand on Eddy's shoulder, and the ripple of the stronger man's deltoid caused his stomach plummet to the floor. He moaned in a low, animal rumble that came from the back of his throat. 

Eddy temporarily lost his mind.

He discarded his glasses on the counter and the other boy followed suit, tossing his unruly hair out of his eyes. Eddy smoothed it back for him and took his face in his hands, kissing him deeply while feeling it's contours, letting his fingers run over the jawline that he had burned to touch for so long.

In slow motion, he ran his thumb across the plump, perfect pair of lips.

Brett took the other man by the hand and led him to the couch, where he gave him a little shove to sit him down. He straddled his lap and nuzzled in close, lightly brushing his lips against Eddy's stubble. In turn, Eddy tilted his head up to grace Brett's eyelashes with his lips, then played a game of connect-the-dots; stringing the little moles on Brett's face together with delicate kisses. His lips worked their way down to Brett' neck, gently landing on the most tender spot, just under his jaw.