World Tour

Hong Kong: concert

There was never any time to talk after that. They were incredibly busy as soon as they got in, getting all the details hammered out with the venue, doing a run through and seeing where everything was. 
Eddy also realised that Brett was consciously avoiding him.
He knew Brett. He knew he'd not want to do anything to jeopardise the concert, that he would wait to talk to him until after. 
But he wasn't happy about playing the concert with this in between them. 

As concert time approached, they got ready in their dressing room in silence. Brett studiously avoided Eddy's looks in his direction and Eddy wondered what to do. 

Soon they were stood waiting in the dark in the wings again, a few minutes early even, and Eddy knew what he had to say.
¨Brett¨, he started.
¨Don't worry about it now!¨ Brett replied, slightly sharply.
¨Bro. Stop. Listen to me.¨
Brett turned around, and really looked at him for the first time in hours.
¨I have zero doubts about our... our thing, whatever we call it. Zero. Okay? I'm just having to adjust to what the rest of the world may think of me, of us. That's all. It has nothing to do with you or your gender. It only has something to do with the perceptions of the world. Okay?¨
Brett's eyes softened instantly, and he visibly relaxed.
¨Oh.¨ he managed. 
Eddy closed the small distance between them, and suddenly the words he'd been trying to hold back bubbled over before he could choke them back.
¨I love you, Brett. Will you please be my boyfriend?¨
Brett beamed so furiously, Eddy had to smile. 
¨Yes, Eddy. I will.¨ he said, the weight of the emotion evident in his voice.
¨I love you too¨

Suddenly the roar of applause shocked them out of their moment. They looked at each other for a second, startled, but grinning like loons. 
¨Go get 'em, boyfriend¨, whispered Eddy, as he managed not to trip over his own feet, running on stage, waving at the crowd.  

Butterflies threatened to overtake his belly, but he took a deep breath, and then he was in concert mode and everything else disappeared. He glanced left and saw Brett was the same. They lifted their bows to their violins, and the first notes rang out. 
Still, they had never played a concert like this. They were on fire. Every stroke, every note was there, their passion for each other bursting into the world through their music. 
The audience erupted out of their seats at the end with a never ending shower of applause. 

As they came off stage, Eddy enveloped Brett in the fiercest hug, forgetting his surroundings completely. 
¨let's get to the dressing room¨, Brett whispered, and pulled him along. 
They almost fell into the dressing room, put the violins down and they were in each other's arms, kissing passionately. Eddy wanted nothing more than to rip his clothes off and have him right there, but he knew there were fans waiting. 
Brett clearly reached the same conclusion, because he broke away panting, and said: 
¨I swear, I will do rude things to you in one of these rooms one of these days. But we have to go greet people, boyfriend.¨
Eddy nodded, butterflies fluttering at the word, and took some deep breaths, calming himself down. 

¨Let's go greet them then¨, he smiled. 

The meet and greet was just as hectic as it had been last time. Some of these girls practically swooned in front of them, and it was well weird. And flattering, in equal amounts. 
Still, this evening it couldn't be over soon enough for Eddy. 

After they'd been able to excuse themselves from the crowd, Matt came to say goodbye. 
The boys were headed on to Europe tomorrow, and Matt was going back to Australia. They would meet their new theatre tech in Paris. 

¨It was a real pleasure, guys. Any other time you need a tech, please find me.¨ Matt said. 
¨Thanks, mate! You were awesome, we'll definitely have to work together again!¨ Brett replied. 
¨Thanks, mate.¨
Matt seemed to ponder something for a moment. 
¨Erm, if I may just be so forward... I'm very happy for you guys. You make an awesome couple.¨
Eddy and Brett shot each other a panicked look. Had they really been that obvious? 
Matt laughed. ¨Don't worry about it! I think it's quite new, no? My lips are sealed.¨
Eddy recovered first. ¨H-how did you know?¨
Matt smiled and said: 
¨I was wondering about it anyway, but I saw you in the wings before the concert. Hey, I'm sorry if I shouldn't have said!¨
Eddy shook his head. ¨Nah, mate. It's all good.¨ And he knew it was true.