Allegro con fuoco

VII

It was a nice little place, this. Very Taiwan, cosy, comfortable. People where sitting everywhere, dunking food into broth, but yet the atmosphere was calm. Polite. They sat down at a booth in the corner and Todd ordered hotpot for the table and a bottle of wine.
He winked at Eddy when the wine came, and he poured some into little glasses. 
"Yeah, I think I'll just be having one or two of these tonight." 
"You sure about that?" Ian piped up as he put his hand on Todd's arm. "I seem to remember some pretty good consequences of the alcohol."
Todd turned to him and gave him his dazzling smile. 
"You're right." he whispered. "But now that we're here at last I have other plans for the evening."
Eddy grinned as Ian clearly almost combusted on the spot. 
"Yeah, yeah, we get it. Now shut up about your sex life already."
Todd put on his faux-indignant face. 
"What, you mean you can't take a bit of friendly competition?"

When had it last been this relaxed? It was like he only realised now how tense things had been for a while. Something had been wound up, that had now been let go, and he leaned back in his chair and let the conversation and the jokes flow over him. 

They were halfway through their meal when suddenly Todd clinked his knife against his wine glass, like he was the best man at a wedding or something. His cheeks were colouring a bit as well, in a most un-Todd like style, and he looked... well, a little embarrassed. 
"So yeah, this is not really my style." he started then, looking around at the surprised faces of his friends. "But, Brett, Eddy, I just wanted to say thank you again. Look, you went beyond what could reasonably be expected of a friend. I'll... we'll never forget it. So um... thanks."
Eddy blinked rapidly so he wouldn't start crying again. 
"Of course." he said quickly. "I'm just... real happy to see you guys like this."
Yeah, shit. Todd didn't miss the tremor in his voice there, he could tell from the look in his eye. He quickly looked down at his plate before Todd could see any more and shoved a piece of chicken in his mouth. 

As the evening wore on and it got late it got easier, though. The relaxation that he was feeling continued to expand through the group, and a second bottle of wine was brought to the table. It was good wine, too, and he could feel the warm glow of it in his veins. By the time the food was all gone and they had had the last bits of the broth he sat back happily and looked around him. 
What would they look like, to the outside world? Surely just a group of friends, right? It made him smile to think about. 
"So, shall we head back to the hotel?" Ian said, somewhat carefully, clearly leaving space for other people to say what they wanted, but Brett instantly grinned. Ian definitely wasn't fooling anybody.
"Yup. Let's."
Todd and Ian where clearly in a rush to get back to the hotel, he could see that in everything. In the rush with which Todd paid, grabbed his stuff, how he waited for them at the entrance to the restaurant. In the quick steps, the two boys in love side by side, always just that little bit ahead. 
Eddy looked sideways, at his own love, and Brett was clearly as amused as he was. He waggled his eyebrows wickedly, the tip of his tongue between his teeth. 
"They're going to have a good night." he said in his most deadpan of tones, pointing with his eyebrows, a big smile on his face.  
"Yeah, I think you're probably right."
They rode the lift in silence. Eddy grabbed Brett's hand. Then, at the doors, Todd already opening theirs, he tried not to grin too much as he said what he had to, loud and clearly, all of the times Todd had done this very thing to them seeming to dance around them in the hallway: 
"So... have fun, guys."
"Yeah, fuck you too, Eddy. Have a good night."
Brett laughed out loud as he opened their door in turn. 
"Good night."