You Are the Best Thing

let me tell you just exactly what's on my mind

6.

"What made you finally go for it?" Brett asks a few weeks later. They're both boneless and sated amongst rumpled bedcovers, the air conditioning cooling the last traces of sweat from their skin.

Eddy groans and buries his face into the pillow, still coming down from the endorphin rush. "We just did that and now you want to talk about feelings?" There's no heat behind his words, but he's struggling to get his brain back online.

"Honestly, I didn't know that was even possible." Brett sighs, sounding satisfied and slightly delirious. "You keep surprising me, damn."

Eddy turns his head to peer over at Brett and grins, taking in the wild state of his hair and grinning even wider knowing he's the one who caused it. He reaches over to muss it even further. "There's more where that came from. I've got lots of ideas."

Brett props up on his elbow, resting his cheek in one hand with a sudden realization. He smirks. "You've got a list, don't you?"

"...no."

"Where is it? I want to see, maybe I can add a few - "

"Shut up, oh my god." They're both laughing as Eddy swats at Brett's shoulder and settles on his stomach, resting his chin on his crossed forearms.

"I am curious, though."

"About the list?"

Brett's eyebrows shoot up, a victorious glint in his eye. "So there really is a list." He ignores Eddy's eyeroll, seemingly delighted at this development. "Now that you mention it, yeah. Not what I want to know right now, though."

Eddy pauses, considering. "What made me go for it?"

Brett's not teasing anymore, the corners of his lips settled into a small but genuine smile. "Yeah."

"I hadn't been sitting on it for very long, actually," he admits. "I never let myself even think about it until that night in Boston."

Brett's eyes grow huge. "Seriously?"

He chuckles. "It's not like that, exactly. I knew I loved you" - it's such a thrill to say those words in this context, to watch the reflexive smile he gets in response - "I just never thought it could be this." He shrugs. "I figured it out in the restaurant."

Brett hums, impressed. "So it only took you an hour from deciding you wanted to kiss me to actually doing it? That might be a record for you."

It's Eddy's turn to smirk. "Oh, I wanted to do a lot more than just kiss you."

"I'm well aware of that at this point, thank you." He laughs a little, shaking his head and dropping his gaze to the sheets. "You figured it out faster than me. If I'd gotten any sleep I probably wouldn't have spent the whole tour with my head up my ass." His eyes lift up to meet Eddy's. "Turned out all right, though." And then: "Love you, too."

Eddy closes his eyes, taking a moment to soak in the words.

"Now about that list - "

"Goddammit." He flops back to the pillow with a groan. Then he actually thinks about it. "Just - just give me a few minutes, all right? You're more athletic than I thought."

Brett's laugh is long, loud, and music to his ears.

*