Play!

IX

The next morning when the alarm went off, Brett felt as if he'd played the Korngold violin concerto a hundred times and had failed just as much. He was pretty sure he’d dreamed of that damned piece too. 
“Morning. You okay?”, Cole asked still a bit sleepily, probably concerned about the groan which had escaped Brett. 
“Hrngh…”, Brett made, determined to put on a deadpan his ancestors would be proud of to get through the day. Did he have any other choice?

Breakfast was served in the hotel in a big hall. Needless to say, not all of the Queensland con people made it to the buffet or even bothered to try. Brett, not being able to function without food, dragged himself behind Cole and loaded his plate with a croissant and toasts when Nathan bumped into them, his wide grin already annoying the hell out of Brett.
“Hey guys! Brett, you’re ready for today?”
Brett suddenly felt a strong urge to send that guy flying so hard his locks would get straightened. He was spared from answering by Cole.
“Don’t!”, he simply warned with a small headshake. 
“I should give you a medal for most caring friend”, Brett remarked after Nathan had resorted to giving Brett an emphatic shoulder squeeze and had joined the viola section in the back of the hall. 
Cole grinned. “Pay me a bubble tea next time and we’re good.”
Yeah. Apparently, Brett’s soulless expression and his efforts to not bother his roommate with his shit yesterday had been in vain, for which he was a little bit grateful now, funnily enough.

On the way to the con, Brett tried to keep his eyes closed as much as possible, hoping he’d get into some sort of meditative state to carry him through a whole morning of rehearsals sitting next to playing-the-violin-perfectly-yet-unemotionally-Eddy-Chen.

“Brett, do you wanna talk to Mr. Thames or Mr. Jones? I’m sure they’d understand if you don’t wanna play today”, Cole asked over the still empty chair of Eddy. Brett just raised his eyebrows. “And raise a white flag while I’m at it? No way. I just gotta pull through. YOLO, you know.” He sounded unconvincing to his own ears, but Cole shrugged and left him alone. He knew better than to press.
Eddy arrived a minute late, panting and pearls of sweat running down his temple and thus sparing Brett of having to talk to him. This time however, Brett was sure he perceived a nod from the corners of his eyes directed towards him, which he answered with a small bob on his end. A greeting from Eddy Chen, what an honor.

Whenever Brett wasn't too busy with leading the section or reading notes, he found himself glancing at his deskie once in a while. Eddy was wearing a black button-down today, sleeves rolled back and thus revealing moderately defined forearms, courtesy of Eddy practicing his craft several hours every day, Brett was certain. His blue jeans had holes by the knees, making his appearance a bit less formal. The dark brown hair on the side was long enough to cover his eyes from where Brett was sitting most of the time, but whenever he brushed it back during a rest or leaned back, Brett could see the concentration and focus in them. 

It was only when Eddy caught him staring and blinked back, looking slightly confused, that Brett realized how creepy his behaviour was. As his brain threw all sorts of curse words at himself, he quickly averted his gaze and focused on Mr. Thames’ cues again.

After two more hours, in which Brett managed to keep his eyes on nothing else than the conductor and the notes, break time rolled around. Eddy vanished as soon as Mr. Thames had laid down his baton and Brett leaned back, exhausted from forcing his head not to turn. His neck would grow a bark at the end of those three weeks if this madness would continue. His madness. 
“Hey”, Angelica’s high, pleasant voice sounded from Brett’s left.
“Hey”, Cole greeted back with a wave while all that Brett managed was a half assed raise of hand. 
“You guys slept okay? How did practice go, Brett?”
This was one disadvantage of leaving the party too soon when everyone else was out having drinks. They all knew Brett had been working on his Korngold.
“Hm”, he made. 
She threw an unsure glance at Cole who just shook his head slightly. Brett was glad there were no follow-up questions torturing him. He stayed back by himself when his old and new found friends went to have coffee, assuring Cole he was okay. Just when he wanted to go through those damned passages from the violin concerto again, a tall figure appeared at the stage door opposite of Brett.

“Oh”, it said, visibly surprised that someone was still in the concert hall. 
“Not gonna bite”, Brett meant flatly. 
“Okay…”
Eddy slowly walked over to his chair, stiff arms and legs showing unease. The clonk which reverberated through the room when he sat down added to the awkwardness rising up between them. 
Brett gulped before he said, “How’s it going?”
How’s it going? Really? Brett was positive his brain had just bid goodbye to join his violin playing ability in Hawaii. Eddy seemed to think the same. If eyes could shoot laser beams, there would have been a hole through Brett’s forehead by now.
“Ok, I guess”, Eddy mumbled.
Brett nodded slowly.
“Uhm, you?”
Did he just hear right? Eddy Chen said something that wasn’t for getting a seat or to answer one of Brett’s stupid questions?
“Terrible, to be honest”, Brett found himself spilling the plain truth the first time this morning before he could shut his god damn mouth. 
Eddy knit his brows. “Why?”
Brett looked at him, at his expression showing genuine concern. But why? Why would Eddy care after he'd so perspicuously shown he didn’t want to have anything to do with Brett?
“Uhm, you really wanna know?”
Eddy cast his eyes down bashfully and kneaded his fingers.
Brett sighed. “Look. If you don’t wanna talk, it’s fine. I’m sorry I'm always bothering you.”
"Uh.."
"I know you don't like me and we really don't have to be friends or anything. It's probably better anyway, since we're both up for that soloist bullshit!" Brett was ranting, he knew. And he was also aware that it wasn't a very smart move to vomit all his honest thoughts over his rival. He couldn't find it in him to care though. It appeared, that his filter had also taken a flight to some paradise islands in the middle of the pacific. 
Instead of looking angry or retorting something back however, Eddy quickly raised a hand in a defensive manner. 
"No", he stuttered, "I didn't mean to…" 
"You're clearly super uncomfortable around me and I will try my best to get out of your way."
God! What was it with him and interacting with Eddy Chen? Did he only had two modes when he talked to him? Either super embarassing and nonsensical questioning or throwing all the frustration he felt at the other? Yes, he was pissed and yes, it had something to do with how Eddy treated him or how he sometimes even ignored him. But it was also courtesy to Brett's currently non-existing violin talents, for which Eddy was in no way responsible. Even so, normal Brett would have never shown this, never said anything, especially not to that guy who seemingly hated his guts. 

Or, did he?

Because those eyes said something else. They were imploring, full of something Brett couldn't lay his finger on.
And then, Eddy opened his mouth.