Allegro con fuoco

LVII

He got up on mouse feet, stalking across the room gently, dragged the clean shorts out of his suitcase, that thank God he had decided to bring, and a simple, white t-shirt. He would have to wash his other pair under the shower, he guessed. One look at a peacefully sleeping Brett, his backpack with wallet and phone safely slung over his shoulder and he crept out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. 
He took the stairs down, taking two stairs at a time. How much time would he have before Brett would wake up? Did he have time to grab a croissant from the buffet? He quickly decided yes, took a beeline and grabbed one, eating it as he ran back out in the street. 
Now. Where was that shopping centre he had run past several times the night before? He ran in the same direction as yesterday and found it quite quickly. His heart was beating in his throat and to be honest, he was starting to wonder whether the croissant had been a good idea, because it was lying in his stomach like a stone as he slowed down and walked into the centre. 
Would they have what he was looking for here? 
He slowly walked over the marble floor, looking around, until the sight of the jewellery store hit him like a slap to the chest. He smiled as he thought of the promise ring Brett gave him, all those years ago. It was in his suitcase, of course. He always brought it everywhere even if he never wore it. It meant the world to him. 
Would it to Brett? Would it take the insecurity away? 
Would it make him his? 
He walked into the shop with its gold letters on red banner and smiled politely at the shop attendant.
"Hello sir. How can I help you?" the short guy with a flower pot hair cut asked. 
"Hi. Um. I'm looking for a ring for my, um, girlfriend. For our, um, anniversary."
"Of course, sir. Rings are over here. Are you looking for silver or gold?"
"Silver, I think."
The ring Brett had given him was silver, after all. They would match. 
"Do you know what ring size?"
His heart started thumping erratically. Brett had long, slender fingers. Slender enough? He knew Brett fit his own ring, but how could he say that to the shop attendant without alerting him to Brett not actually being his girlfriend? Shit, why had he lied in the first place? I mean, it wasn't like they were inforcing the homosexuality law anymore, was it? Or why hadn't he said it was just for a friend? 
"Um, I think she has about the same size as me." he said. "She's um... European."
At that point the shop attendant flashed him a knowing smile, which widened as he produced a little display case of nice, neutral silver rings. Not very girly rings at all, really.
"She sounds lovely." he said. 
"Um. Yes. Thank you for understanding." Eddy said softly as his heart rate started slowing down a little. 

He saw it straight away. A smallish, silver band with a tiny gold inlay shone at him from right in the middle of the display case, surrounded by other, lesser rings. It was simply beautiful, and it would look so good on Brett's golden skin.
"Can I try this one?" he asked, pointing at it.
"Of course."
The man took the ring out and handed it to him. Eddy slid it on, and oh. It was suddenly very hard not to cry. It fit, it fit well in fact. It was perfect.
"Can you... can you engrave it? Or does that take a lot of time?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
"Of course. I can engrave it now. What are the names you'd like put in?"
He almost grinned. "Um. Brett. With two t's. And Eddy. E-D-D-Y. And um. 2012 as well, maybe?"
The man smiled kindly as he took the ring from him.
"Give me five minutes."