Andante

CLXV

A few hours later they were safely on the bus, sitting next to each other on the seat all the way in the back. Eddy had sent a couple of messages to his mum througout the morning, telling her that Brett was okay, thanking her for letting him go so early this morning. And he had sent her another one in the bus stop just now, his fingers tense, saying that they were on their way to the con. Still, his phone was staying resolutely silent. He shook his head dejectedly at a tree, out in the street, and put all of his attention back on Brett. Look. The time to worry about what was waiting for him at home was later, because right now he was too busy holding Brett's hand underneath his violin case, and stroking the soft bit of skin between Brett's thumb and index finger with his thumb. Brett, who was firmly back to nervous now - he could feel it radiating off him in waves. So he sat as close to him as he could on the hard plastic bench and he stroked, and he hoped really hard that that would be enough. 
"You'll rock, you know." he told him softly. Brett nodded as he looked down at his violin case, but he didn't respond. And Eddy got it. I mean, it wasn't nothing, was it? Today would decide all of Brett's future. If he didn't get in... everything would change. And all this time, for ages now, Eddy had been completely, one hundred percent sure he would get in... but now that Brett was so nervous, it was freaking him out too. He just hoped that despite all the nerves and anxiety Brett could still show them how good he was. 
The bus braked for their stop then, pulling him out of his worried thoughts, and he got up and followed Brett down the steps.

They were walking side by side on the sidewalk when it came into view, from at least a hundred metres away. The sand coloured building with the red details came closer with every step they took, and he could hear Brett's sharp intake of breath next to him. He quietly grazed the back of his hand over Brett's as he read the familiar words on the edifice.

Griffith University
Queensland Conservatorium. 

They had both been there before, of course, but never like this. It was like the red letters in the word Griffith were glowing, like they were coming to life, mocking those who hadn't practised enough.
God. Now even he was fucking nervous. 
"Come on, let's get in there and get into a practice room, okay?" he said as calmly as he could muster. Brett just nodded again, clearly beyond words now. When had he last said anything? 
Eddy just hoped he wouldn't start hyperventilating again. Would he be able to get him out of that a second time? But Brett seemed to be keeping it together now, his jaw set squarely as they went into the building and he walked up to the front desk to announce himself. 

They walked up the stairs to the practice room in silence. It was weird to be here like this, no violin on his own back, the moment pregnant with the expectation and the tension radiating out of every stone. 
"You'll get in, Brett." he said softly as Brett opened the practice room's door. "I'm positive."
Brett shakily pulled in the deepest breath in the world and then, at last, he opened his mouth and spoke quietly. 
"God, Eddy, I hope you're right. The receptionist said the pianist will be here in ten minutes to run through stuff with me, so..."
Eddy closed the practice room door behind him and walked over to Brett. He took the violin case off his back for him and put it down with care, on top of the grand piano. 
"I know so."
Then he pulled Brett into a soft hug, putting his hand on the back of Brett's smooth hair, his fingers running through it quietly as they stood by the big mirror on the wall. He kissed Brett once, chastely on the lips. 
"Trust me."

A little over an hour later he was dutifully following a pale, gaunt looking Brett to the studio where the audition was about to take place. The run through had gone okay, really, to his ears, but he hadn't missed Brett's tension, he hadn't missed how he had shaken his head slightly at the end, just before he'd shaken the pianist's hand and thanked him. 
God, how he hoped he would be okay. 
The studio doors loomed large and white down the carpeted hallway. This would be where he would sit and wait, while Brett did the best he could behind those double doors. He looked up to the ceiling as he sat down next to Brett on some plastic chairs someone had put along one of the walls and tucked one of his knees up under his chin. 
"You'll be great, Bretty." he hesitated. "Erm... do you remember what you told me, years ago when I was completely freaking out right before that first audition for AYO?"
Brett looked at him, his eyes hooded. 
"AYO... oh, you mean the busking thing?"
"Yeah. Just go in there and pretend we're busking together, okay?"
Brett nodded slowly as he pulled in another deep, shaky breath. His eyes were fixed on the double doors, still closed for now.
 "Just pretend we're busking. Okay. I'll try."