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XXIX

“How do you do that?”, Eddy inquired, hands getting warmer with every second Brett’s own rested on them. 
“What?”, Brett asked back. 
“How are you so good with people? With… with me?”

Almost inaudible and so, so soft were the last two words spoken. And yet, it was the clearest Brett’s ears perceived. He had to avert his gaze to not blush like a complete idiot. Why would anyone redden because of this anyway? Clearly, Eddy was only asking for tips. He wanted to improve his social skills, so it was perfectly normal to ask Brett. No need for weird tingles to whirl around inside him, no sire!

“I…”, Brett stuttered, despite trying very hard not to, “I don’t know. I like people. And I like…” The rest of the sentence got stuck. With wide, slightly panicked eyes he cleared his throat. “I like to talk and stuff, you know. Guess I’m more of an extrovert, so it doesn’t cost me much energy to spend time with people.”
“I see”, Eddy murmured. “But what about me? How do you… I mean, Brett. I have never told anyone what I’ve told you just now and we know each other for what, like five minutes? Hell, I don’t think anyone outside my family knows about my dad. How do you do that?”
Brett withdrew his hand. He had to, otherwise he felt like he’d combust any second now. “I don’t really know”, he answered honestly, “By being fucking annoying and persistent, I guess?”
Eddy roared. “Okay, that got me!”
Brett chuckled. “I mean, what made you open up to me?”
Now it was Eddy’s cheeks which got tinted slightly. Brett had to find a good explanation for his eyes why the blank practice room wall was so much more interesting than Eddy Chen suddenly. 
“I don’t know… I feel like…”
“Yeah?” He could find any excuse he wanted, really, but there was no way he could NOT look at Eddy now, who was very busy staring at his own hands again.
And then, he mumbled something. 
“What?”
“God! Why is this so hard? I feel safe with you, alright?”, Eddy exclaimed, now locking eyes with Brett, “Don’t ask me why. I have no idea. I figured it must be something you do. The way you listen, maybe… I don’t know.”
What was it with Eddy and the constant change of temperatures around him? Because there was a warmth filling Brett which made him glow from the inside, made him grow taller a few centimeters. 

Eddy felt safe around him?

“Oh, wow”, Brett mouthed, unable to form anything other than interjections.
“Yeah.”
They sat there in silence, in Brett’s mind one thought flying circles: Eddy felt safe around him!
Suddenly, winning this competition didn’t seem so important anymore. 

“Alright!”, Eddy exclaimed, jumped to his feet and made Brett jump too at the same time. “Time to practice, I guess. Enough deep talk!”
“Eddy, uhm…”, Brett hurried, butt at the edge of his seat. Eddy, who was about to open his case, turned around. 
“Yeah?”
“I really appreciate these deep talks, you know?”
Deep talks with you, is what he wanted to say, but for some reason, that sounded way too cheesy out in the open, so he just hoped Eddy got what he meant. 
This smile. This genuine, soft and open smile. Brett felt his heart beating in a weird staccato rhythm.
“I normally don’t”, he admitted, making the smaller huff, “But with you, it’s kinda different.”
Another few centimeters added itself to Brett’s height as his expression matched Eddy’s.

It was almost normal, warming up next to Eddy, playing scales up and down, low-key envying the other for his crips intonation. Actually simultaneously working on a concerto in a tiny practice room proved itself challenging though, so after their warm-up, Brett reluctantly ventured to the reception in the entrance hall to get himself another key.
“Oh dear, all the rooms are taken. Lots of students this evening”, a lady at the desk with massive blond curls informed, eyebrows drooped in empathy, “You must be busy bees.”
“Guess we are”, Brett sighed, contemplating about what to do next. Of course he could go back again, but he didn’t want to burst into Eddy’s practice session and disturb him. They had agreed to meet around closing time and there had to be enough patience in him to last less than two hours, right?

A clinking sound right next to Brett’s left ear led him to turn his head. 
“Eddy?”
“Thought everything would be occupied. You take the room, I go back to the dorms.”
“What?”
“I can practice in my room, no biggie.”
“But…”
“What, you wanna practice outside instead?”
Brett waggled his eyebrows while an idea formed in his mind. Eddy’s eyes widened as if he could read exactly what Brett was up to.
“Nah! Not gonna do this, Brett. No way!”
“Come on! You can’t tell me you’ve never busked for some extra money?”, Brett grinned mischievously. 
“Oh”, the lady exclaimed and clapped her hands together in excitement, “Brilliant. You sure can have my change!”
“Don’t you have to work?”, Eddy frowned. Brett guffawed. 
“Oh, there are no keys left to give anyway.”
“Nah!”, Eddy turned to Brett again, ignoring the woman, “We have to practice, Brett! Busking’s not practicing.”
“I can play the piano part. You play solo. It’s performance practice! Come on, Eddy, you get to connect ‘living life’ and practice too! Isn’t that a great deal?”
“I’m going to my room.” Eddy demonstratively pressed the key into Brett’s hand and walked off, his wide strides carrying him away quickly. 
“Eddy, wait!”
Brett threw the key into the metal box and dashed after him.

“Nah! Not happening!”
“You can perform, for money!”, Brett huffed, painfully realizing how short his legs were in comparison to Eddy’s.
“I perform in concert halls. Not on the street where random people walk by who don’t even want to hear me play!”
“Oh, so-o-rry sir.”
Eddy’s side-eye made Brett snap his mouth shut, a grin still firmly plastered on his face though. “It’s fun! You’ll get used to it!”
This time, Eddy’s doubtful gaze rested longer on Brett’s hopeful features. He came to a halt abruptly. “It’s fun”, he echoed Brett, who had to skip back. 
“Yeah!”, Brett confirmed. 
“You have a weird perception of fun.”
“Trust me! We can use the money to buy boba after.”
“I’m not that poor!”
“Because you’ve got a scholarship! Need I remind you that not everyone’s in this lucky position?”
“So you want me to earn money for you.”
“WITH me, bro! That’s a difference.”
The few seconds of contemplation were enough for Brett to know he’d got him hooked and it took every inch of self-control for him to keep his silent victory dance hidden.
“Argh! Alright! What the hell! Can’t let you wander around in Sydney all by yourself anyway.”
“Yes! Wait… what?”