Andante con Brio

CLXXVI

He settled down in the window seat as Brett took the seat next to him. Todd and Ian were one row in front of them, so he'd be able to kick Todd if he wanted to.
He grinned to himself as he thought back of the panini-scene. Todd really was the funniest guy, and he did have such a way with people that no one would ever hold his jokes against him.
Why, oh why did he have to fall for his best friend though? He wanted happiness for him so badly. Wanted him to just meet a nice guy, fall for him, be done with it.
But there wasn't really very much he could do to make that happen, was there?
He settled a bit deeper into the uncomfortable seat, looked out of the window, put all worries out of his mind and allowed his mind to wander back to a couple of weeks ago, when they had had the final of the competition.

"Eddy Chen!" the host had called, and he had stared at the stage in front of him. In a nice concert hall, this time, with proper wings instead of just a concrete room behind a door. So why was it so hard to step forward? But Brett was there, in the audience, and so was his mum. He owed it to them, if nothing else, to do a good job. He took a deep breath and walked into the light with a smile plastered on his face.
"You did so good!" Brett had told him when it was all over, it was break, and they were walking forward to grab something to drink.
"Yeah?"
"Absolutely."
"Well, so did you."

"Hey, you already with your head in Taipei?" Brett asked him softly, pulling him back towards the now. He moved his hand under the armrest and took Brett's. Then he smiled.
"No, I was thinking about the competition."
Brett's eyes instantly lit up.
"Oh. You mean the won you won?"
Eddy grinned and squeezed the hand.
"I mean the one we both won."

I mean, how was it possible to be this nervous? He thought he had been nervous before, waiting in the wings to play, but this, standing on the stage with all of the other finalist, no, this was worse. Third prize had gone Todd, and second prize had just been given to this girl he didn't know. One left. One. He happened to catch his mum's eye. She was there, in the third row, her face taut with tension. He didn't even have it in him to smile at her. Was he about to make her proud? 
But to be honest, he wasn't even sure what he preferred now. Should they call his name, or Brett's? Maybe Brett. Yeah. That would be better. Even if it would make his mum mad and disappointed as hell. 
He willed it with all his might as the guy droned on about how high the level of this years' competition had been.
Call Brett. Just call him. It doesn't matter, he deserves it more.
"And the first prize this year, is a joint prize!" the chairman bellowed into the microphone. He waited for another moment to build up the tension. Yeah. As if they didn't have enough of that already. The chairman took a deep breath. " The first prize goes to... Brett Yang and Eddy Chen!"

"That was undoubtedly one of the best moments of my life." Brett said quietly next to him.
"Oh yeah?" he asked. He looked around him quickly, but the engines had come on and they were taxiing. No one would hear. "What are some more, then?"
"Oh." Brett said, as his cheeks coloured just a little bit. Then he glanced around too. "Well, I think they all involve you."
Eddy held his breath as he waited. Brett's hand was in his, comfortable, easy. Just like it always was with him.
"A lot of them in Perth, last time." he said then, so quietly even Eddy had to strain to hear him.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. When you said no matter what we'd be together. That one may top it all."
Eddy nodded as he squeezed the hand again. Oh, what he wouldn't give to be able to kiss him, at times like this.
"I agree. And moving in with you. And the park. And..."
Brett grinned.
"Yeah."