the rhythm our heart plays {breddy; twosetviolin fanfiction}

15

They are totally not cool.

Ray's here. They finished the ensemble and now they're recording for a second video that was a little more fun. Surprise! It's another game of charades, because that's the most requested pick from the twitter poll for whatever reason and yeah sure okay, he'll admit it, the creative juices have been running low the past few days but it's also very difficult to come up with fun things to do when his mind keeps running full-stop into a roadblock. A roadblock, mind you, that wears a deadpan face and black framed glasses.

At first, Eddy thinks they'll have it in the bag but he can see that him and Brett are definitely not on the same wavelength at all. They're guessing wrong more than half the time and when they win, it's a mediocre cheer at best. He just prays the jokes they sprinkle in between turns are enough to salvage the whole video.

Eddy's turn to play. The word? Lover.

(Seriously. The universe really does have it out for him these days.)

Eddy goes a couple bars into the first romantic piece that pops into his head, which happens to be Salut d'Amour, but he makes the fatal mistake of looking over towards Brett. They make eye contact and vivid flashbacks of everything Eddy had tried to suppress comes punching back in his face: Brett leaning in close, warm breath over Eddy's mouth, eyes heavy with meaning like he wants him. Eddy wants him. His head is full of him. Of Brett's amused smile. Brett's dumb addictive laugh. His silliness. His weird habits. His entire everything, and.

Oh shit.

His bow stutters on the string and Eddy instantly blanches. They say transcribing emotions into your playing is an integral part of interpretation, but to hell with that! He can't risk wearing his heart on his bow for a second longer than this. Shaky bow be damned.

Keep it cool, Eddy. You got this.

Eddy restarts with a different piece, one from Schumann this time as he twirls and faces away from Brett, away from his gaze and all the words left unsaid.

What if we can't go back to how we were?

It's the one thought that scares Eddy to death.

What if I lose you?

Everything feels so wrong, suddenly, as if he was forced to commit a heavy col legno on his violin, his heart almost hurting as much as the microfibre cracks on the bow breaking with every hit.

So yeah, this is definitely not keeping cool and fine, maybe this is a lost cause from the start. Listen. He isn't taking any criticism right now. Still, Eddy thinks he'll be okay. As long as he never brings it up again, it'll be fine. It'll be okay. They can still be okay.

So imagine Eddy's mortification when Ray calls him out on his bullshit.

*

"What's up with you and Brett?" Ray asks Eddy the moment Brett steps out of the studio for a toilet break. Eddy has a snipey excuse to fire, but Ray seems genuinely concerned which makes Eddy feel less inclined to be defensive.

"What do you mean what's up?" Eddy goes for playing dumb instead. "It's the same old usual. He's doing his thing. I'm doing my thing. We're doing our thing, thing." Eddy winces. Very smooth. "Everything's fine."

"Right," Ray says, in a way that means he definitely isn't buying what Eddy's saying at all. "Right. And I'm a hot Korean pop idol topping worldwide charts. Look, Eddy, I'll be real with you. Being around you two is like being around an old married couple sometimes and, even if that gives you guys a total advantage when we're playing charades, I totally respect that."

"O...kay? Are you saying you're...jealous of our bromance, or something?"

"No — I mean, yeah who isn't, but. What I'm saying is, the vibes a bit...different now. It's like you guys are dodging around each other and it's really painful to see when I know you both care about each other a lot. I won't pry if you don't want to tell me, but you're both good people and what you guys have is pretty amazing...I'd hate to see it unravel just because you're both too scared to communicate."

Eddy bites his bottom lip, affronted but he knows Ray means well. He's right, after all, and nothing hits harder than the truth when it's coming at you like that. "Yeah," Eddy closes his eyes and sighs. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just...scared of losing him, you know? He's my best mate."

Ray smiles and good-naturedly pats Eddy on his upper arm. "And you are his. Have a little more faith in him, Eddy."

"Ray..." Eddy starts, throwing the other violinist the most thoughtful, considering look he can muster. "I truly hope your kpop career goes well."

Ray bursts out laughing. Eddy grins, determination set in his features as he gathers all the courage and honesty he has left in his bones for his longtime partner and best friend.

Eddy owes Brett at least that much.

*

Their other special guest doesn't sugarcoat it.

"When the fuck are you two going to get over yourselves and fucking talk it out like fucking adults." Luka snaps the camera closed and levels a feral glare that could undoubtedly kill a man. Or two. "I'm going to be real with you. This session is straight up garbage. Unless you two get your act together I am not filming another second of this — this stupid unresolved sexual tension. It physically pains me to see this. Fix this. And don't make me beg."

"He has a point," Stjepan says sagely. "This is something you can't leave ignored." Luka nods furiously in agreement beside him. "Hear each other out, okay? Love and peace, boys. Love and peace..." With that, 2cellos shuffles out of the studio set as they leave the violin duo to bask in the aftermath of what seems like a sloppily cooked intervention.

"Well, damn." Eddy says.

"They really just called us out like that," Brett says, sounding a bit mystified. "Now we cannot not make up. Who else will implode if we don't."

Eddy nods defeatedly. "Can't argue with that logic."

*

As the saying goes, it's time to kiss and make up.

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author's note: disclaimer, I don't know much about 2cellos' personalities, but https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx3vAx-gJKr/?igshid=1tj4yzqujtlm4