Club - a Breddy Fanfic.

80)

Eddy tiptoes from his room to the fridge. He's been starving in his bedroom for an hour now, careful to stay as quiet as possible to not wake his friend on the couch, but now he has to eat something, or he'll faint.

As he opens the fridge door, he hears movement behind him. A sleepy head emerges above the backrest.
"Whuttimeisit?" Timo asks, barely awake.

"Early enough. Did you sleep well?"
Of course Eddy knows he didn't, because he's heard him pacing all night. It's just courtesy to ask. Timo answer is a grunt only.
"Want to take a shower? You'll feel better after taking one. Towels are in the cupboard under the sink."
Another grunt, apparently as a confirmation. Timo stands up, all wobbly, and shuffles to the shower.
Eddy looks at the retreating slouching figure. He's been thinking up a plan to lure Timo out of his shell. If Mason really likes him, like Brett said, he needs the man to open up to the possibility of them together.
There is a beep indicating Brett messaged him. He looks at his phone quickly.
'Call me when possible?'

Eddy hits dial immediately.
"Hi. News?"

"Yeah. It's like I expected. He likes him still." Brett blurts out.

Eddy breathes a sigh of relief. "That's great news. That will make things easier for everyone."

"Yeah. Mason tried to call him all night. He didn't know his phone was here. Oh, here he comes." Brett speaks softly, making Eddy strain to hear the words. Then he hears the distant sound of Mason and Brett getting coats. He almost jumps out of his skin when Brett continues in a normal tone.
"Okay Eddy, we'll be leaving now. See you in 20 minutes or so."

Fifteen minutes later Timo is nestled on the couch again. He looks melancholically out of the window.
"Fancy some coffee?" Eddy already busies himself putting water on.

"K."

"Eloquently said."
Timo doesn't respond to Eddy's obvious gest.
A few minutes later Eddy tries again.
"The tree in front of my window must be really charming, because you can't seem to take your eyes off of it, can you?" Eddy pokes while handing Timo his hot coffee. He sits himself beside him.

"Huh?" Timo asks absentmindedly. He didn't hear the question at all. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"I know. I could almost see it." Eddy blows in his coffee. "Wanna tell me about it?"

Timo shrugs. "Just the same as last night. Nothing new. I'm running in circles, chasing my own ragged tail." He sighs. "I'm so lost Eddy. What should I do?"

"Easy. Talk to him. You have to."

"Except that, please." Timo sags a bit deeper, hoping the couch will swallow him whole. "I can't handle rejection twice you know."

"We don't know if it would be a rejection again."

Timo gives Eddy a look. "You weren't there! There is no way other than that it will end badly." Timo shakes his head.

"Nope. I don't think so." Eddy puts a hand on Timo's knee. "Just talk to him. He really likes to be with you as well, so you have to have some faith in yourself and him. Can't you be brave for him, for the possibility of love?"

"You are one to talk. You know Brett really likes you, I think he even loves you, so stop being anxious already. You are nice, funny, sweet and worthy of love" Timo looks him straight in the eye. "No, don't look at me like that. It's so often that you don't seem to feel yourself worthy. You should get over that. Show some confidence, mate. To yourself and to Brett."

Eddy nods slowly as he takes in the lovely words. "Maybe I should be more sure of myself. But so should you." He turns the conversation around again, because this is not about him. It's about helping Timo. "Why are you so appalled to talk to him? Ask him! I know why I get tangled up in my head, but do you know why you are so afraid?"

"I don't know." Timo shrugs. "It's just... Listen Eddy, I don't want to lose him. I want it to go back to like it was." He looks desperately at Eddy. "But I crossed the line. How can we even go back?"

"Then the first question that comes to me is: can you?" He smiles with what he hopes is a sympathetic smile. "I mean: go back to what it was? Forget how his lips felt under yours?" The words make Timo wince. "Because I know I couldn't. Being friends with someone you love is tedious, to say the least. It's just fucking difficult. Look at yourself. You lasted, eh, a week?"

Timo nods. "Yeah. But I can try, no? If Mason could forgive me."

"That's all the more reason to talk to him. Right now you don't know how he really feels."

"I can't talk to him yet. It's too early. I need to psyche myself up for that. And I'm struggling too much to get my feelings in check to have a normal conversation." He buries his head in his hands. "What am I doing anyway fancying a man, for goodness sake. A friend! Why did I fall for him?!"

"Yes, that's an excellent question. Why did you?"

Timo thinks for just a few seconds. "He's just fucking perfect to be around! Everything I was looking for!"
He then looks at Eddy cheeky. "Except for the dick, of course. But I could manage that if it is Mason's." Timo smiles warily.

"Well, there you have your answer. Love chooses you, not the other way around."

"I hate it." Timo grunts.

"I can recommend dick, though." Eddy says, twinkles in his eyes.

Timo can't help but laugh wholeheartedly and pushes Eddy hard on his shoulder so that he falls back into the cushions.
"I bet you do, Eddy. I bet you do."

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A/N: Happy New Year! I hope everyone will have a very good 2024 with a lot of music and reading (fanfiction) ;)